“Oh, it’s not a problem at all. I’m John.”
“Carol.”
After he finished, he pushed to his feet and placed the old tire and the jack in the trunk.
“Tire looks as though it was cut,” he told her. “Maybe you ran over a thick piece of glass, or a nail or something. Anyway, that should get you to work. Then tomorrow, I’d suggest you go get a new tire.”
“Thank you again so much,” she said. “You’re a lifesaver. What do I owe you?”
“Nothing,” he replied simply. “Well...” he looked around to be sure no one was nearby. “Except your life.”
Before she had a chance to respond, he tased her and watched as she squealed before slumping to the ground.
He opened his bag, tied her arms and legs with the wire, and taped her mouth. After she was secured, he gathered her and tossed her in the still-open trunk.
He climbed into the car. The key was in the ignition, so he turned it, bringing the vehicle to life.
He took the thirty-minute ride downtown to his new point of operation. It was an old warehouse that used to store electronics for a store. But the store recently went bankrupt, so he was lucky enough to snatch the building off the market. As he did when he rented a new location, he called the owner, told them a fake name and offered double the asking price if they could keep it off the books.
Thankfully, the owner agreed. If they didn’t, he would have been in search of another location until he found someone that would agree to his terms and money.
After he parked the new target’s car by the old warehouse, he unloaded her. She was now awake, her eyes wide with fear. As he carried her inside, she thrashed in his arms, trying to get away.
Of course, even if he dropped her, she wouldn’t get too far. Not with her hands and feet tied, anyway.
“Stop it,” he warned as he set her on the ground.
She tried to say something through the tape, but it was hard to make out the words.
He opened the door leading to another room and slipped on his clip-on sunglasses. Grabbing his target and throwing her over his shoulder, he expertly held her while flipping the light switch. It was bright, but his sunglasses helped protect his pupils. It was something new he was trying. He’d installed four hundred watt lights to see how she’d react. Would it cause her more pain? Would she just lay still, afraid to move?
Whatever her reaction, he was sure he’d get a thrill out of it.
He set the target on the ground.
She squirmed, just like the others did, but he ignored her.
Her eyes closed tight, trying to keep out the light.
She began to cry through the duct tape.
Rolling his eyes, he ripped the tape from her mouth.
The target began to scream, a bloodcurdling sound.
Though it made his head hurt, he waited until she got it out of her system. After a few minutes passed, he slapped her hard.
“Shut up,” he said, cursing her. “I’ve got a headache. Don’t make me put the tape on you again.”
“What do you want from me?” she whimpered, her voice harsh from all the screaming she shouldn’t have done.
He remained silent as he cut through the wires that bound her arms and legs. After all, it was no fun unless she was free to try to escape.
He removed his disguise—it had begun to itch—and set it on the table.
“Please,” she cried. “I’ll do anything you want. Just let me go.”
He let out a hesitant sigh and knelt next to her so he could tap the cool metal of his knife against her cheek. “You’re right. I really should just let you go, shouldn’t I? This has gone on far enough. I mean, I’ve been killing women like you since...” He paused as though to think. “...I can’t even say. Let’s just say a long, long time.” He sighed again and slid the knife underneath her chin. He smiled when she shivered. “I’ll let you go. But you have to promise you won’t tell anyone, okay?”
She shook her head with fervor. “I promise. I won’t say anything. I won’t—” he cut her words off with the taser.
Her shrill echoed through the room.
“You women are too gullible,” he said with a light laugh.
Grabbing a new tire iron he’d found in a junkyard, he swung it toward her stomach.
The girl whose name was Carol gasped for breath upon impact.
He hit her again, this time connecting with her temple. She cried out in pain, but he wasn’t worried. He never worried. He wouldn’t choose a point of operation unless he was sure he could be alone with his women.
He’d blared music in this little room so he could be sure it couldn't be heard outside the warehouse walls.
He only barely heard it, and it was so much louder than the screams.
It was nine o’clock at night and they could be there for hours.
No one would hear her cries.
No one would come.
So he continued to hit her.
After his arms grew tired, he’d let her rest for a little while. He’d watch as she let the tears fall from her eyes. He’d watch as her body jerked in sharp pain.
He’d chat with her about life.
He’d ask her questions about her pain. How it made her feel.
She would only whimper, plead with him.
But he ignored her.
Then he’d pick up the tire iron and start all over again.
51
CAROL RIDER REMAINED in a tight ball on the floor.
Her abductor stepped out a few minutes ago to answer a phone call. She'd been crying out, begging for someone to help
