The Crucifix Killer Part 44

Brenda looked deeply into Hunter's eyes and held them for a while. 'I know what you're thinking. You're thinking that if you had spent more time with her you would've figured her out.' She laughed. 'I've got news for you, Robert. You could've spent months with her and you still wouldn't have a clue. Isabella was perfect. I made her perfect. I spent over a year creating her and living her life before finally approaching you. I acquired new mannerisms and habits. I started from scratch. New life, new apartment, new job, new everything. Psychological immersion. You know what that is, don't you, Robert? I actually became two different people. Nothing linked Isabella to me.'

Hunter could see she was right. The way she walked, her gestures, her posture. Everything was different.

'No matter how good you are Robert. You're no clairvoyant. You can't see what's not there. No one can. Isabella gave nothing away. No mistakes, no slip-ups. As I've said, I made her perfect.' She allowed Hunter to dwell on it for a few seconds before continuing. 'Anyway, I was running out of time. I had to adapt my plan. Since you didn't fall for Isabella, I had to find someone to take her place. Someone you'd risk your life for. Someone who you cared about, but there's no one, is there, Robert? The closest person to you was your new partner, so he became the obvious choice. I had to act quickly.'

Hunter thought of Garcia lying in a coma. His only fault had been being a.s.signed Hunter as a partner.

'I have to admit I had my doubts. I didn't think you'd risk your life to save his. I didn't think you were capable of such an act. I thought you'd walk away and leave him to die alone. I was sure you'd protect your own skin and that's all.' She paused and gave Hunter an irreverent shrug. 'Robert the martyr, huh? What a f.u.c.king joke.'

Brenda was so different from Isabella it was frightening. Hunter studied her for a few seconds, a.n.a.lyzing her movements. She was getting agitated.

'But somehow you managed to beat the clock twice and still save your partner. You did well, but did you think you'd beat me?' she asked with a farcical smile as she bent down and stared into Hunter's tired eyes. 'You'll never beat me, Robert. I'm better than you. I'm more intelligent than you. I'm quicker than you and I don't make mistakes. You are no match for me. My plan was perfect. I'm perfect.'

Hunter lost sight of her as she walked around his chair. The unmistakable sound of a blade being sharpened came from behind him and his heartbeat peaked. He knew he'd run out of time. She was getting ready for the last kill.

Sixty-Nine.

'And now it's time you finally paid for what you've done. For your incompetence, for all the pain you've given me, Robert. I figure I probably have a couple of days alone with you. After what's happened today, I'm sure your captain told you to take a day or two off. No one's expecting to hear from you so soon. Your partner is out of action. No one will miss you, Robert. By the time they come looking for you . . .' She didn't have to finish her sentence.

'Let me give you an idea of what's gonna happen to you. First, I'll put you to sleep so I can operate on your throat. Nothing fancy. Actually, it will be pretty rough. Just enough for me to sever your vocal cords. I can't have you screaming in here for two days.'

Vroooom. Hunter heard the piercing sound of an electric drill come from behind him. He took a deep breath, but he could feel the fear taking over.

'Then,' she continued. 'When you are awake again, I'm gonna drill holes through your kneecaps, your elbow and your ankle joints. That will shatter the bones into hundreds of little sharp pieces. Any tiny movement, even breathing will cause you incredible pain. I'll savor the moment for a few hours before moving on.'

Hunter closed his eyes and tried to control the shudder spasms that had started running through his body.

'After that, I'll start experimenting with your eyes, your teeth, your genitals and your exposed flesh.' She grinned. 'But don't worry, I'll keep you alive and suffering until the last second.'

Hunter twisted his neck, but he couldn't see her. Doubts were flooding his mind. Fear had settled in and he started to regret his decision. Maybe his plan wouldn't work out.

'But there's something I need to do first,' Brenda whispered.

Unexpectedly he felt his hair being grabbed from behind with tremendous force. His head violently jolted forward. He tried fighting back but he simply didn't have the strength, the energy. The steel blade against the back of his neck first felt cold as ice, then it burned like volcanic fire. Not a deep cut, he sensed. Just enough to scar the flesh.

The double-crucifix, Hunter thought. I'm being marked for death.

'Wait . . .' he called. His voice was still fragile, his throat still too dry, burning with a feverish heat. He had to do something. Buy some time. 'Don't you wanna know where you made your mistake? Don't you wanna know how you're gonna lose?'

He felt the blade moving away from his neck. Her unsettling laughter echoing throughout Hunter's small living room. 'You don't even know how to bluff, Robert. I never made a mistake. I never left anything behind. My plan has always been flawless,' she said with patronizing arrogance. 'And I think you're starting to go delusional. Let me describe the situation for you. I've got you tied up, alone and weak as a wounded animal. I'm the one holding all the knives and you think I'm gonna lose?'

'See, you're almost right,' he said, moving his head back up. He could feel the sting of the flesh wound she'd made on his neck. 'But earlier tonight, when I found out about your revenge, about the jurors, about who you really were, I also found out that today would've been your brother's birthday.'

Brenda had moved from behind his chair and was facing Hunter once again. A glistening blade in her right hand, an intrigued look on her face.

'So I figured out you wanted it that way,' Hunter continued. 'The final revenge on your brother's birthday. The perfect finale.'

'Very good, Robert,' she said, clapping her hands. 'Too bad you decided to start doing all your detective work on the day of your death.'

'So . . .' Hunter quickly carried on, 'before I left the RHD, I placed a call to my captain explaining what I'd found out and he placed a watch on me.'

Brenda frowned. A speck of doubt in her eyes.

'When I got home, I knew something wasn't right, I knew someone had been here. That someone had to be you. You knew I'd have a drink or two tonight, so you drugged every bottle of whisky I have because you didn't know which one I'd go for. But you should've placed them back in the correct order.'

Brenda's eyes moved from Hunter to his small bar and then back to him.

'They've been in the same order for years. I never move them.'

'If you knew the bottles were drugged, why drink it?' she asked insolently.

'Because I knew you wouldn't poison me to death. It's not your style. It wouldn't be revenge if I died without knowing why.'

Hunter could sense Brenda was getting agitated. His heart was in overdrive but he kept his voice calm.

'I knew you were in my apartment, I could feel your presence. I knew you'd be watching me so I pretended to check my phone by pressing a few keys when in reality I was dialing my captain. If you look inside my pocket, you'll find that my cell phone is still on. If you look out the window, you'll find that the building is surrounded. You can't get out of here. It's over.'

Her eyes rested on the window behind Hunter. An edgy and disturbed look on her face. She had underestimated him and she knew it.

'You're bluffing,' she said in a nervy voice.

'Check the window,' he replied st.u.r.dily.

She didn't move. Her hand was shaking from all the adrenaline. 'Nothing is over,' she finally shouted back in rage, moving around Hunter's chair.

Unexpectedly and with a loud crash Hunter's living-room door swung open. Wood splinters flying through the air from the broken hinges. In a fraction of a second three STU agents had come through the door. Their laser sights placing three red dots over Brenda's heart.

'Drop the knife! Drop it now,' the first officer commanded in an authoritative voice, but Brenda had already positioned herself behind Hunter. She had kneeled down sheltering most of her body behind his. The knife she had in her right hand was now being held with both hands, its entire blade pressed horizontally against Hunter's neck, as if she was about to garrote him with it.

'Drop the knife,' the officer ordered again.

'Wait . . .' Hunter called. He knew what she'd done. She'd positioned herself in such a way that her entire weight was pulling her backwards, away from Hunter's chair. With the blade against his neck in a strangle position, Hunter knew if she fell back, she'd almost decapitate him. If she died, he'd die. 'Lower your weapons,' Hunter said.

'No can do, sir,' came the immediate reply.

Hunter knew the officers wouldn't back off; they lived for moments like this one.

'Isabella, listen to me . . .' he whispered. He didn't want to call her by her real name. He hoped there was something of Isabella left in her. 'These guys have itchy trigger fingers. They won't hesitate to shoot you. They won't hesitate to shoot me to get to you.' Hunter kept his voice as calm as possible. He understood stressful situations. He knew people had a tendency to match the anxiety of those around them. 'Please don't let it end like this. There are people who can help you, people that wanna help you. I understand the pain you've been through, but the pain doesn't have to go on.'

'You'll never understand the pain,' she whispered back.

'I do understand it. You saw it, you said so yourself. After I lost my partner and my only cousin the pain almost ate me alive. I did hit rock bottom, but I didn't stay there. Give us a chance to help you.'

'You wanna help me?' her voice just a little tender now.

'Yes, let me help you. Please.'

'Like you helped your partner today, Robert?' Her Italian accent was back. Hunter sensed that the woman behind him wasn't Brenda anymore.

'Yes . . . like I helped Carlos.' No hesitation in Hunter's voice.

He felt the blade being pressed just a little harder against his neck and the skin starting to rupture.

'Would you do the same for me, Robert?' she whispered into his right ear. 'Would you risk your life for mine?'

'You have three seconds to drop the knife before we shoot you where you stand,' the officer instructed again, this time with overwhelming irritation.

Hunter knew he didn't have much time.

'You're not gonna answer me?' she asked again.

A split second of silence followed.

'Yes . . .' he whispered back. 'I'd risk my life for you.'

Hunter sensed a timid smile on her lips before she pulled the blade away from his neck. In a lightning movement she stood up and before the STU team had a chance to discharge their weapons she had plunged the knife deep into her own abdomen. The laser-sharp blade sliced through skin and muscle with incredible ease and surgical precision. Hunter felt a gush of warm liquid strike him in the back of the neck.

'No!' he croaked.

'Jesus Christ!' the STU leader shouted, lowering his weapon. 'Get the paramedics up here . . . now,' he ordered. They all rushed towards Hunter and Brenda who was now on the floor. The pool of blood that surrounded her body was increasing with incredible speed.

As fast as he could, the STU leader used his own knife to cut Hunter free who immediately fell to his knees, his body shivering.

'Are you OK, sir?' the officer asked.

Hunter didn't respond. His eyes were fixed on Brenda's limp body. An STU agent was now holding her head in his hands. Hunter could sense the life draining out of her. The look on the agent's face told him what he already knew.

Seventy.

Four days later.

Hunter slowly opened the door to Garcia's room and peeked inside. Anna was standing next to his bed, her hand gently stroking his arm.

'Is he awake?' he whispered.

'Yes, I'm up,' Garcia replied with a frail voice, turning his head to face the door.

Hunter gave him a wide smile and stepped into the room. A box of chocolates under his right arm.

'You're bringing me presents?' Garcia asked with a worried look.

'h.e.l.l no . . . this is for Anna,' he replied, handing the chocolates to her.

'Oh! Thank you very much,' she said accepting the gift and giving Hunter a peck on the cheek.

'What's going on here?' Garcia asked. 'Chocolates . . . kisses . . . next thing you know you'll be coming over to my house for dinner.'

'He will be,' Anna confirmed. 'I've already invited him. As soon as you're back home.' She smiled a sweet smile that seemed to light up the room.

'How're you feeling, partner?' Hunter asked.

Garcia lowered his eyes to his bandaged hands. 'Well, apart from the unwanted holes through the palms of my hands, the deep scratches on my head and feeling like I've been dropped from the top of the Golden Gate Bridge I feel peachy, how're you doing?'

'Probably as good as you,' he replied without much conviction.

Garcia shifted his stare towards Anna who understood the signal.

'I'll leave you two alone for a moment. I wanna go down to the cafeteria anyway,' she said, bending down and giving Garcia a soft kiss on the lips. 'I've got some chocolates to attend to,' she teased him.

'Save me some,' Garcia said, giving her a quick wink.

After she left, Garcia was the first to speak.

'I've heard you caught her.'

'I've heard you don't remember much,' Hunter replied.

Garcia slowly shook his head. 'I have no recollection of anything concrete. Little flashes of memory, but I wouldn't be able to identify the killer if it came to that.'

Hunter nodded and Garcia noticed a hint of sadness in his eyes. 'I figured it out, but I didn't catch her,' he said, taking a step closer to the bed.

'How did you do it?'

'Joe Bowman . . .'

Garcia frowned, trying to remember the name. 'The gym manager? Steroid man?'

Hunter nodded. 'I knew I'd seen him before, but he'd convinced me that it'd been in some fitness magazine. It didn't really click until D-King mentioned something about being the jury, the judge and the executioner.'

'D-King?' Garcia said with surprise. 'The drug dealer?'

'Long story, I'll tell you later, but that's what revived my memory about John Spencer's case. Joe was one of the jurors. He looked pretty different then. No steroids, a lot smaller, but I knew it was him.'

Garcia's facial expression urged Hunter to carry on.

'From that, I found out all the victims were linked to the jurors, some of them family, some of them lovers or affairs, just like Victoria Baker was. She was Joe Bowman's lover remember, he's married.'