Kiss Me, Kill Me

with pale blue eyes through wire-rim glasses.

“I made some soup.”

Dennis didn’t scare her, but maybe she should be scared. “Why didn’t you take me to the hospital?” she asked.

He frowned at her and looked worried. “You told me not to.”

“I don’t remember that.”

“Are you still sick?”

“I don’t remember a lot of things. Just bits and pieces. Why didn’t I want to go to the hospital?”

“You said someone was going to kill you and you needed a place to hide.”

Kirsten definitely didn’t remember saying that, though she certainly remembered being terrified that someone was chasing her.

“And you brought me here?”

“My brother is in Europe.”

She frowned. Something was wrong. “You said your brother was at the party. Didn’t you?” Maybe she was remembering another conversation.

“I have two brothers. Charlie is in Europe, and he always tells me I can stay here whenever I want. I take a class at Columbia.” He spoke proudly, and it was his tone that told Kirsten that Dennis was a little slow. Not severely retarded, but not quite normal.

“My brother knows the dean and they said I can audit one class a semester. I’m doing really good.”

She didn’t know why, but that made her feel better. “Okay. So this is between you and me, right?”

Dennis nodded. “Do you want some soup?”

“Yes, but I can’t walk.” She frowned at her feet. “It hurts too much.”

“I can bring the soup in here.”

“Why are you helping me?”

His baffled expression indicated that he didn’t understand her question.

“I mean, I must have looked awful the other night. Like I was crazy or something.”

“You were scared. Charlie always says we have to help our neighbors.”

“I think I’d like Charlie.”

Dennis smiled, his eyes lighting up. “I love Charlie. He’s nice to me.”

“What about your other brother?”

Dennis shrugged. “He’s moody. Charlie says he’s selfish and won’t grow up. But he always takes me to see baseball games. I love baseball.”

“I love baseball, too.”

Dennis grinned. “And then after the game, if he doesn’t have a girlfriend, I get to stay in his apartment and we watch movies, but not scary movies because I don’t like them. Last time, we watched Star Wars, my favorite.”

He really was sweet. Kirsten felt awful for dragging this kid into her problems. “Thank you for the clothes.”

“I looked at the tag in your dress for your size when-” He blushed several shades of red and averted his gaze. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled. “It was torn and you weren’t talking. I didn’t touch you, I promise. Just helped you put on one of Charlie’s old shirts.”

“It’s okay. You took care of me, and I feel a lot better.”

“I can take you home, if you want.”

She shook her head. “Something strange happened at the warehouse.”

“I know. It was in the newspaper.”

“What? What was in the newspaper?”

“I didn’t read it because it sounded scary, but I saw the picture of the warehouse. I’ll bring it in, with your soup. Is it okay if you have soup for breakfast? It’s only eight.”

“Thank you. And water, please.”

A few minutes later, Dennis came in with a tray. It was almost surreal-a fake rose in a bud vase, a bowl of soup, soda crackers, a tall glass of ice water, and the New York Post folded neatly. Everything was placed just so.

“It smells great.” Though she was starving, the thought of eating made her ill.

He beamed. “I have to go to class. It starts at nine, and I don’t want to be late.”

“Is it really okay that I’m here?”

He nodded. “Charlie isn’t coming back until next week. And he won’t mind.”

Kirsten wasn’t so sure about that, but she didn’t argue with Dennis.

“I’ll be back after my class.” He smiled and waved as he left.

Kirsten opened the newspaper. A headline on the bottom front read:

Cinderella Strangler Strikes Again! P.13

Hands shaking, Kirsten turned to page thirteen.

Fourth victim found at abandoned Brooklyn warehouse

BROOKLYN-Early Wednesday morning the body of an unidentified female was discovered by a private security company in the weed-choked parking lot of the abandoned paper mill near Gowanus Bay.

NYPD lead detective Victor Panetta refused comment, other than to confirm that a female between the ages of 18 and 25 was found at dawn Wednesday and that the investigation was his top priority.

However, sources in the NYPD report that the crime scene matches three previous homicides. The first victim, 19-year-old Columbia University student Alanna Andrews, was discovered at a Haunted House set up in an abandoned apartment building in Harlem in the early morning hours of October 31. Erica Ripley, 21, an employee at a Java Central, was alleged to be the Cinderella Strangler’s second victim. She was found on January 2 on the south side of the Bronx, in a field near an abandoned factory. And the third victim was identified as third-year NYU student Heather Garcia, 20, killed on February 5 at a party in Manhattanville. Her body was discovered next to a dumpster by sanitation workers. All four victims were found after attending an illegal “underground” party at an abandoned site.

The Cinderella Strangler suffocates his victims and takes one of their shoes. Authorities refuse to comment on what the shoe may represent, but psychiatrist Emile DeFelice said the killer may have a foot fetish, or use the shoe in a bizarre sex ritual. Some experts claim that serial killers take personal effects-usually panties or jewelry-from the victim as a so-called souvenir, in order to relive their crime at a later date.

The FBI has created a task force with NYPD and the NY Port Authority, suggesting that they are, in fact, tracking a serial killer.

Those close to the investigation say the task force has no leads. The FBI has sent a communication to all local colleges to raise awareness among students to be extra cautious when attending a rave. Authorities are looking for new ways to put a stop to the illegal parties. Community activists advise caution when attending any event. “Go with someone you know, and leave with someone you know,” said a regular partygoer who asked to remain anonymous. “Have fun, but be smart.”

Police are asking that anyone with information that may help them in their investigation call the task force hotline number. A $10,000 reward is offered by the FBI for any information leading to the conviction of the killer.

Kirsten pushed the tray aside. Jessie had been murdered by a serial killer?

Girls like you …

Kirsten didn’t know what to do. No one knew where she was.

She looked at the date on the paper. Thursday? It was already Thursday? She’d been sick for five days? She had to call her mother, let her know she was okay. The weekends were one thing, but she’d left home Friday night and now her mother must be frantic.

But what could she do? She couldn’t crawl around the city. She needed someone she could trust, but she had no one.

Except …