The forensics team were still going through the house, but as of yet there had been nothing to report before the lab work was done. Again Sarah wondered how the killer met or found his victims. How did he get to their houses and how did he leave? There hadn’t been any car tyre tracks that didn’t match the victim’s trucks or cars. It was possible that the killer had a car with tyres exactly like those of his victim, but that seemed like a very long shot- three different sets of tyres to match three different victims- that was a hell of a lot of research. Still, it was possible and local tyre sales and car rentals had been checked out but nothing had surfaced thus far. How did he do it?
The break; that was what they needed on this one. It was always what they needed. It got hard to find a break, however, when the killer was an organised and purposeful individual. They enjoyed what they were doing and in no way did they want to be caught and have to stop killing. Once they show themselves, it’s nearly over, she reminded herself. Thinking again of Spalding.
Sarah leaned down, careful where she was placing her hand, and looked under the table to where the flayed skin was tacked to the table. As she suspected, it was the same kind of nail as the other two murders. It was one inch long, black in colour and had a thin head on it that made it look like a letter ‘T’ when removed. It looked unusual to Sarah but turned out to be fairly common. The list of suppliers and sales people on the East Coast alone was running to the hundreds, each one receiving a call from a local police department or FBI field office in relation to any small sales or suspicious customers. Sarah doubted the answer would come from there, especially with the nails being such a prominent part of the evidence, but you just never knew.
The killer could have been as cool as cucumber buying these nails, perhaps in bulk- way more than he needed- but the salesperson might be one of those people who got ill feeling from people, or cold see auras and in the past, following up on these wild things had turned out to be the break in the case.
The break in the case.
Sarah counted the nails, seventeen, also the same as the previous murders. It was a strange number and Sarah felt it too meant something. The gruesome job could probably have been completed with less nails, and the fact it was not an even number of nails struck her. Surely someone completely organised would use an even number unless it means something?
An argument started somewhere down away from the house, back towards the road. She looked out the window and saw the flashing lights of the squad car by the blue and white police line and saw the first of the press had arrived. It was a TV news van trying to get closer shots of the house. Sarah looked around to see if any other, quieter reporters had arrived yet. She assumed they would have. Though she didn’t admit it to herself, she knew she was looking to see if Tyler Ford was here. This was just the kind of case for him, one where his endless contacts would tip him off and he would arrive before anyone else.
But Sarah didn't see him. That didn’t mean he wasn’t here though. He could be looking at her through the window right now. The thought was somehow comforting and she supposed it was the perceived support that made it feel so. Sometimes, especially lately, it seemed like Tyler was the only person who had any faith in her. It had been a long time since they spoke. Perhaps that was for the best.
Chapter 3
TYLER FORD WAS FOLLOWING the case of the murdered farmers, but on the night of the third murder, he was in Washington D.C meeting one of his long time contacts, Lewis Oakley from the Office of the Department of State. Lewis was a low level clerk, but had become so ingrained in the offices that it was like he blended into the background and people often spoke candidly while he was nearby or left computer screens with sensitive information open for his wandering eye to take in.
Since the trial of Tyler’s old boss at ‘The Baltimore Echo’, Derek Davis had been tried and convicted of the ‘John the Baptist’ murders, Tyler had been trying to find out the fate of his onetime intern Danny Kercheck.
Danny had infiltrated both Davis’ murderous life and Tyler's investigation of it under the orders of someone he’d called only ‘The Monster’. Both Tyler and Sarah Brightwater at the FBI believed this to be none other than prolific serial killer at large Dwight ‘Prom Night’ Spalding, but no proof had ever emerged that would have anyone else believe it. The only thing Tyler had to go on was what Danny had said to him as Tyler was held captive in his own car while Sarah’s life was in danger.
Tyler had tried to get an interview with Derek Davis, but the
