Slasherazzi (6 page)

“Don’t go passing out on me now, Detective. You’re about to get your release, and I want mine too.” I continued to stroke my cock through the black jogging pants and tilted my head back, letting out a long sigh. “You see, it’s all about the moment when your life fades away. You’ll be free from the pain…the torment. Everything I’ve done to you is all leading up to this one point, making it all that much sweeter, for you and for me.”
My heart rate quickened, breaths coming faster and shallower. Sweat plastered the mask to my face. I dropped the cleaver and quickly pulled the wool up over my head and tossed it onto the table behind me. The detective’s eyes widened, and he opened his mouth, but no words came out, only a hoarse rasping noise.
“Shhh,” I said quietly, pressing one gloved finger to his lips. “Don’t fight this. Just enjoy the moment.”
As the pressure below grew and the impending climax made itself known, I raised the blade high above his neck. His eyes followed the upward swing, then slowly closed, as though he were waiting and praying for the end.
With one last stroke, I brought my arm down, slicing through the skin, muscle and cartilage in his neck. My chest heaved, pleasure flowing through me as his blood spurted from the severed blood vessels like a powerful orgasm, then reduced to a steady gush. The pool ebbed farther outward, flowing and dripping off the edges of the table to land on the bare floorboards below.
I took a moment to regain my breath before standing up straight to admire my work. His head hung to one side, barely attached to the rest of his body by a column of white and red. I smirked and reached down to pick up the mask, using it to wipe down my face. My entire body buzzed with an electric charge that had my blood racing, carrying with it an exquisite heat. Previous nights couldn’t even compare.
When I could breathe steady again, I took a few final pictures for my collection. I struggled to hold back a grin, delighting in the warm, wet feeling in my boxers as I moved around my latest playmate to capture different angles. Then I reached under the nearby desk to pull out a small duffel bag. I packed up my tools and brought out a fresh change of clothes. I changed quickly, securing the blood-soaked garments in layers of bin liners, then crammed them into the duffel bag. Before I left, I pulled the damp mask back over my face and took one last glance at the detective. I smiled, happy in the knowledge that this would be a night I would remember for ages to come, or until I found something better.
No doubt the cops would find his body sooner rather than later. Finding one of their own was sure to cause a panic, and it wouldn’t be long until the feds were called in. My name would be known across Florida, even to
him
.

I awoke with a long yawn, stretching my arms out wide across my bed. Tilting my head to the left, I glanced at a set of blinking red numbers. Six thirty-three. Almost time for another day at the office. I closed my eyes again and rolled over, my head still heavy with the haze of sleep. Another few minutes wouldn’t hurt.

What seemed like only seconds later, the sound of Muse blared through the room, accompanied by the sound of my phone vibrating against the wooden bedside table. I groaned and sat upright, squinting at the sharp sunlight that seeped in through a small gap in the curtains to stab at my eyes. Reaching over to grab my phone, I turned off the alarm and let out a long breath as silence settled in over the room once more.

I showered quickly and pulled on a pair of gray pants and a black shirt, before making my way into the kitchen to take two eggs from the fridge and set them down to one side. Then I fired up the cooker to heat up some oil in a frying pan. I cracked open the first egg, and it hit the pan with a sizzle, the smell assaulting my nostrils. My stomach rumbled in response.

I went to split the second egg when a vibration against my right leg made me pause. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my cell to glance at the caller ID. Tanya. I flipped the phone open.

There was a long pause before Tanya spoke. “You’d better come into the station quick.”
“It’s not even seven,” I groaned. The two of us usually started at eight, though Tanya was often in early. Still, if she was calling me, then something big must have happened. “What’s up?”
“The shit just hit the proverbial fan.”
What the hell was that supposed to mean? I opened my mouth to speak but couldn’t find the words. Had they found another body? Was the FBI involved already?
“Alex? You still there?”
“Yeah, sorry. I’ll be right in.” I turned off the stove and set the pan to one side. “Tanya, what’s happened?”
“Just get here, fast. I can’t tell you this over the phone.” The line dropped.
For a moment, I stood frozen, my mouth ajar. If Tanya wasn’t up for sharing the details, then something major had gone down. I grabbed my car keys from the counter, along with a banana, though the hungry rumbling of my stomach had been replaced by a sickly uneasiness. The sticky heat outside, even so early in the morning, did little to abate the nausea.

I pulled into the garage and took the elevator up. The doors opened, and I stepped out into the corridor. Officers in uniform, and those in plain clothes too, rushed every which way. Opening the glass doors into the office, a wave of heat hit me from the mass of bodies packed into the tiny space. Conversations mingled together to create a loud din. I rose up onto my toes, searching the chaos for Tanya, but her size made it impossible, if she was even in the room.

Wading through the crowd, I moved toward the far wall where her desk sat, only to find it empty. I sighed and turned around. Where was she? I reached out to touch the arm of the nearest person, a female officer with short blonde hair.

She turned to me, dabbing at her bloodshot eyes. Her cheeks glistened with tears. She shook her head and broke out into a sob. The man next to her placed an arm around her shoulder and pulled her against his chest.

A hand grabbed at my wrist, and I glanced over my shoulder. Tanya stood behind me, her lips pressed into a tight line.

“Not here,” she replied. “Let’s go somewhere a bit quieter.”
I nodded and followed her through to one of the interview rooms. She slumped into the nearest chair and let out a deep breath. I sat on the opposite side and leaned forward on my elbows.
“Okay, seriously, this is starting to freak me out now,” I said. “Please, just tell me what’s happened.”
Tanya lowered her head. “There was another body found earlier this morning.”
“He’s escalating,” I replied. It had only been three nights since the last kill, whereas the previous victims had been almost a week apart. “What do you think it means? And what’s up with the crowd out there? Surely, they’re not all here for—”
“Alex.”
Tanya met my gaze, holding it firm. It wasn’t like her to be so quiet. That fact alone was cause for concern. A bead of sweat trickled down past my jaw.
“The vic was Fernando.”
My heart seemed to pause before kicking into overdrive. All heat left my body with those few words. The victim being a cop explained the chaos and confusion outside, and Mandy. She hadn’t been close to Fernando, but they’d certainly been friendly.
I attempted to swallow, but my mouth and throat had dried up. It was bad enough we hadn’t been able to protect the five citizens who ended up dead at the killer’s hands, but learning that one of our own had fallen…Even though I hated the bastard, I wouldn’t have wished him that fate.
“Fuck,” I said finally, though that was the extent to which my brain could piece together anything coherent at the moment.
Tanya nodded her head in agreement. “You know this means the FBI will be all over the case like a bad rash now.”
“Yeah,” I replied. “I know.”
It was inevitable now, and, as much as I hated to admit it, we needed the help. We had failed, big time. I had failed. Still, wallowing wasn’t going to get us anywhere. The case had to be solved fast and before anyone else could be hurt.
“Is the crime scene still open?” I asked, breaking the heavy silence.
Tanya nodded. “You wanna see it?”
“I have to.”
“You sure?” Tanya asked. “This won’t be the same as the other victims. It won’t be just another corpse you’ll see. The vic this time is someone you knew. Can you handle that?”
I stood, walked across the room, and opened the door. “I’m sick of watching this guy get away with everything. Six deaths and we don’t have shit on him. I may not have liked Fernando, but he was still one of us, and I’m going to do everything I can to get justice for him. I won’t run from this.”
Tanya took a deep breath before she spoke. “Then I’ll come with you.”
“Thank you,” I replied, managing only the briefest of smiles for my partner.

We drove mostly in silence to a secluded warehouse surrounded by half-built houses. The road leading in was packed with police cars and news vans, forcing us to park a few hundred yards from the yellow tape. As we walked down, we were greeted by Dictaphones and microphones being shoved into our faces, along with the flash of cameras. We moved on without any comment and found Lieutenant Boyd waiting with several officers at the perimeter to hold back the throng of journalists.

“Beckman. Grissom,” he said as we ducked beneath the barrier, and motioned for us to follow him. “I should warn you, it’s not pretty in there. I’ve seen some sick shit during my time, but this one is on a whole ’nother level.”

“I’ve seen plenty before. I can handle myself,” I replied.
“That’s what the men before you said as well.” Boyd nodded to a nearby group of officers, whose faces ranged from gray to white. One bent over and braced his arms against the nearest wall as he vomited.
“Darn rookies,” Tanya said. “So have we found any clues?”
The lieutenant shook his head. “We’re going through the place with a fine-tooth comb. Believe me, if there’s a single strand of the killer’s hair, we’ll find it. We’ve photographed the scene already. Just waiting for the medical examiner to arrive and take him away.”
Boyd stopped at the entrance to the warehouse and pointed to the table that had been set up. Boxes of overalls and gloves sat on top. I turned to pick up a set when his hand touched my shoulder.
“Listen, I know you’re not gonna like this. Heck, I hate to admit it myself, but we need help. I’m calling in the feds later today. Just thought I should give you a heads up.”
I dropped my gaze to the floor. Shit. It was pretty much inevitable that the FBI would be called in now, but that didn’t help lessen the sting. My first major case and I’d failed. It wasn’t just myself I’d let down, but every one of the killer’s victims, their family and friends, and all the other detectives and officers on the force. I should have caught our perp by now, then things wouldn’t have gotten to this stage.
“Hey, don’t beat yourself up,” Tanya said, nudging my chest with her fist. “You weren’t the only person on this case, right? We all were at some point or other.”
“Yeah, I guess,” I replied, lifting my chin to meet her eyes. “It just kinda sucks, you know? All that work for nothing.”
She nodded. “Happens sometimes. Let’s focus on getting this case solved as soon as possible, even if it means working with the feds. Okay?”
“All right,” I replied, picking up some overalls. I’d be happy to see the end of this particular case, even if that meant handing it over to a bunch of suits. Didn’t mean I had to like it, though.
Once I was suited up, I stepped inside the warehouse. The heat and smell hit me all at once. A putrid tang caught at the top of my nostrils, and I immediately covered my nose as my stomach clenched.
“Don’t be losing your breakfast,” Tanya warned.
“You interrupted before I could finish cooking it,” I replied.
Tanya went ahead into the main room. She paused and shook her head. “Oh, hell…”
I followed after her, stopping in the doorway. Fernando’s body lay bound across a large table, his arms and legs spread wide. He was naked, his skin covered in what seemed like an almost intricate pattern of shallow cuts. And his head…
“Shit,” I muttered.
“You can say that again,” Tanya replied. She turned away and lowered her gaze. “Ain’t nobody should have to die like that.”
I stepped around her and approached Fernando. His head rested on one side, attached to the rest of his body by only a few strands of skin and muscle. The floor around the table, and even the nearby wall, had been coated in a spray of crimson, most likely from the final blow.
“Excuse us,” came a voice from behind. The coroner and her assistant shuffled past us, pushing a gurney with a black body bag on top. They set it next to the table and began processing. “Cause of death seems clear to me. Arterial spurts show he was still alive when his neck was severed. Rigor has barely set in. Estimated time of death would be around midnight. We’ll get him back to the morgue and examined as quickly as possible.”
They untied him, then lifted his body across onto the gurney, being careful not to completely detach his head. Behind where Fernando had lain were a few small lumps of what appeared to be flesh. I moved closer and inclined my head to them.
“What’re those?”
The coroner, Michelle, rose to her feet and picked them up in one latex-gloved hand. She glanced down at Fernando. “It appears to be penile tissue.”
I looked down at the body and blinked. Sure enough, most of his dick was missing…sliced in half like a cucumber. My stomach tensed like a fist had closed around it, and I struggled to inhale. Breakfast or no, it didn’t seem to matter. I turned tail and barged past an officer on my way outside. Once at a safe distance, I collapsed onto my hands and knees. Sweat coated my body, and I choked on the dry air. I retched until my throat burned and a sickly heat had enveloped me.
“You okay?” Tanya asked. She crouched down to my left and held out a bottle of water, presumably from one of the nearby patrol cars.
I balled my hands against the dry dirt and gravel, and forced myself to breathe slowly. “I will be. Thanks.” I took the cold drink and quickly unscrewed the cap before gulping a few mouthfuls. The liquid hit the bottom of my stomach like an icy piece of lead.
“Never seen you turn that shade of green before,” Tanya said.
“You look a little pale yourself,” I replied.
“Yeah, but I wasn’t the one who had to flee the crime scene. Good thing you didn’t eat that breakfast after all.”
I nodded, closing my eyes for a brief moment. The image of those slices of flesh jumped to the forefront of my mind, and my head swam. I dropped the water and planted both palms firmly on the ground.
“We’d best get you out of this heat,” Tanya suggested. She offered a hand and pulled me to my feet. We walked to one of the nearby buildings where a temporary command center had been set up. Tanya led me into a large room with a few wooden chairs, and I sat down in the shade. A group of three officers stood at the other end talking amongst themselves.
“I’ll never look at salami the same way again,” one of them said grimly, his skin a sickly shade of gray. No doubt my complexion wasn’t holding up much better.
They winced, and one clutched at his stomach.
“That could have been any of us,” I said, instantly killing any conversation in the room. The others hung their heads.
“So, what now?” Tanya asked.
“What else? We catch the sick bastard that did this before he gets anyone else.”