“Were you jealous of him?”
Stupid bitch why would I be jealous of him? He was my puppet. “You’re way off. He intrigued me. He always adjusted to whatever happened in our lives; our mother being a drunk and high most of our lives, my Dad beating on him when I fooled him into thinking my Dad visited my room. He adjusted what he thought needed to happen and moved us both forward, in his opinion.”
“Why did you make him believe that, and was he really that blind to you that he didn’t know?”
“I’m a fantastic manipulator, Dr. Jenna. Blake is human. At the end of the day his thoughts and actions are tied to his emotions. It was more about breaking my Dad. He looked at Blake in a way that appeared like longing to me. I was curious to see if he was fighting his own urges. I tempted him but he turned to anger not perversion, but Blake didn’t know that and I knew Blake would want to protect his poor little brother. It was a rush to see how far he would go for me.”
“Do you love him?” she asks.
She has learned nothing.
“I can’t love him. I don’t know how. I don’t possess that emotion.”
“Do you really believe that?”
“It’s not about believing it, it just is. I don’t feel it.”
“Do you care about anyone?”
My thoughts go to Cereus. I see reflections of myself in parts of her but it’s more an obsession to learn and be around her. I feel ownership over her and a need for her to want, like, need and love me.
“Ryan?”
“I have a niece. She’s an artist and really talented. Her art teacher is a cunt and I don’t like how he’s treating her. Does that make me care?”
“It depends. Do you not like him treating her the way he is because it’s hurting her?”
It’s more the fact he’s petty and pathetic and abusing his power, and that she’s mine and no one can hurt her but me if I choose to. I don’t say this, I’m too close to rambling about the ways I want to kill him.
“I told you earlier that you can talk freely about past crimes, so let’s address those. Can you tell me what made you kill the first time? It says in your files that you didn’t know the victim.”
I shrug. “Why would I know someone like him? He was just a drug dealer with an attitude and a loose tongue.”
“You show no remorse for him? In Dr. Leighton’s past assessments it was documented that you feel remorse for your victims.” She’s sitting forward now, engrossed in digging inside me to find answers to questions she already deep down knows the answers to.
“Hour’s up,” I state getting to my feet.
“What about their families and friends? Do you feel any guilt about what you put them through?”
“Time’s up.”
“Was it purely random or did you pick out your victims?”
“Time’s up, Doctor.”
“Why did you kill . . . ?”
I grab the armrests of her chair and she quickly retreats, her back pinned against the backrest. I lean into her face. “Time’s. Up.”
I receive a text from Cereus once I leave Dr. Jenna’s office, saying she can’t come over tonight.
Matt is finally taking me on a date so I won’t be able to meet tonight. I will call you on lunch break tomorrow.
I’ve followed Matt home a few times since learning about him. He appears straight-laced, comes from a family who make good money, and eat together in the evening. He has a little brother who prefers to let loose but I’m not interested in him. I don’t like Cereus blowing me off so she can date someone for the sake of her art teacher. I need alcohol and some dirty, painful sex.
MEL FLINCHES AND STIFFENS WHEN I put my arm around her in bed. I’m not sure if she’s in the process of a nightmare but I don’t ever want to feel the woman I live for flinch when I touch her. She’s in our bed again, which is a good sign, and our earlier lovemaking made the gap I created evaporate into dust.
I hear footfalls outside the bedroom door and follow the sound to find Cereus creeping into her room. It’s one a.m. Her eyes widen when she notices me. My feet pound the carpet until I’m face to face with her.
“What the hell?”
“I’m sorry, Dad. We had a late rehearsal for a gig we’re doing over the weekend. I thought as I was only a few doors up, you wouldn’t mind.”
She looks guilty, her cheeks flush red and her eyes keep diverting to the floor rather then at me. I plan to go see Lucy’s parents and let them know the rules and curfew for my daughter.
“Did you text your Mom?” She shakes her head. “Me?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Cell.” I command.
“Why?”
“Because you clearly don’t use it so you won’t miss it. You can have it back on Friday when you’re not grounded.”
Her face turns red and I’m sure a blood vessel will burst in her eye if she glares any harder. She digs her hand into her jeans pocket and slaps her cell into my palm.
“Now go to sleep. It’s a school night.”
“Whatever.”
She slams her door and a sleepy Mel appears in the frame of our bedroom door. “What’s going on?”
I stride over to her and kiss her soft, warm lips. “Nothing, baby. I’m handling it.”
I drop Cereus’ cell in my top drawer and strip my clothes off, crawling into bed behind Mel. I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her against me. I push my hard cock between her ass cheeks and nuzzle her neck.
“I’m tired, Blake.”
She reaches over and turns out the bedside light, and slips away from me to sleep. It’s the first time in our marriage she’s done that.
I wake up alone and the aroma of coffee engulfs me. I follow the scent down the stairs to the kitchen where Mel and Cereus are sitting. Before anyone can speak, all cells and landlines begin ringing, including my work cell. Our eyes dance with each other in confusion.
“Detective Braxton,” I bark and I hear Mel answer the house phone at the same time.
“Blake, it’s Donovan. We have a homicide at Cereus’ school.”
I see worry and hear a gasp from Melody. Obviously news is spreading.
“Do we know who?”
“One of the teachers. He was here last night working on an art project as far as we know. Another teacher found him.”
“I’ll be right there.”
“What’s going on?” Cereus asks, her voice strained.
“Your Mom will tell you, baby. I need to go.”
So much blood. He’s face down in a pool of it and it’s spattered up every surface in a two-meter area. Luckily no one entered the room so nothing’s been contaminated and CSI have arrived on scene. A rock is by the door with blood and hair attached to it, indicating it was used as the murder weapon. I notice the CCTV cameras in the halls, then get a list of every member of staff and ask Donovan to question them.
“Anything you can tell me, Lopez?” I ask the crime scene analyst.
She points to something, and the detective takes a picture and places a number cone down. “He was attacked from behind while sitting. He managed to get to his feet and stagger to here.” She points to the front of his desk. “The assailant didn’t let up, attacking again and again until he fell. I’d say this was not their first murder.”
BEATEN TO DEATH WITH A rock. Jessica’s Mom is on the school council. She likes my donations, and thinks that makes us friends, so any gossip and I’m the first person she calls, but this is something I never expected to hear. My head is humming with flashbacks of my parents and the news of Ryan’s other victims. He beat one to death outside that nightclub he took me to. Sickness rushes up from my stomach and I have to push past a panicked Cereus and run to the bathroom.
“Mom!” she calls through the rest room door.
“Just a minute, baby.”
I wipe my mouth and run the cold faucet, patting my head and cheeks with the cool water.
Cereus is waiting for me as I exit.
“Where’s your Dad?”
“He left in a hurry. What happened?”
“Come and sit down.”
“Mom, you’re scaring me.”
I guide her over to the table and sit, taking her hand in mine. “There was a murder at your school. One of the teachers.”