Damien studies the picture of the Bondage Killer.“This him?”
“Yes, that’s the target, as he was decades ago.He’s responsible for a series of murders in a small Midwestern town.He sent letters to the local police station to take credit for the crimes.Called himself the Bondage Killer.His real name was Dennis Bundy, and his killing spree ended when he was trapped in a warehouse fire and presumed dead.”
Damien sets the picture down on the table for everyone to see.“And why should we care?”
“Because he’s back in this city now.And he’s killing again.”
St.James shifts closer to the table to get his own look at the photograph.After a pause, he shares a long glance with Damien before saying, “This is a job for the cops.”
“The cops haven’t been able to stop him.Plus, he might be working with someone in the department.”Hamish found Detective Lacy Collins’s notes where she speculated that BK might have had an in with someone in the department, and that’s why he always seemed one step ahead.
“Corrupt fucks,” a masked man mutters, and a few others agree with him.
“I’ve come to you because I’d like him found sooner rather than later, and Fraternitas rules the underworld of New Rome.”They’re also responsible for their share of murders, but I don’t mention that.Hamish and I have discovered that they take great pains to follow a strict code of honor.For example, they never hurt children.
Their history is gruesome and bloody, but the violence is mostly against the grown members of other gangs or corrupt city leaders.Which suits my own purposes just fine.If I were to punish Fraternitas for their crimes, a worse gang would take their place in the underworld.In this case, the devil I know is better than the devil I don’t.
“I’m willing to pay handsomely to see this man brought to justice,” I say.“I’m putting a bounty on his head.”I make a point of meeting several of the masked men’s eyes.“Double if you happen to find him dead.”
“We’re not killers for hire,” Damien says.
“No, that would be me.”A murmur comes from the door where a tall man with white-blond hair stands idly flipping a knife in the air.“Am I late?Has the party already started?”
There’s a burst of movement from the masked men around the table.Several draw weapons and begin to charge at the stranger before St.James raises his hands for them to stand down.
“He’s a guest,” he says.
“Victor,” I greet the newcomer.We’re not really on a first-name basis because I don’t know his full name.I suspect “Victor” isn’t even his real name anyway, only a moniker.
“Roy.”He dips his chin.“St.James.Everyone.Sorry to startle you.”His smirk tells me he’s not sorry at all.
“Next time, accept our escort,” St.James warns him.“Trespassers end up in the Abyss.”
“Understood,” Victor says.“And I promise to never do it again.But tonight I needed to make an entrance to prove myself.I’m still auditioning for this job.”He sidles up to the table and sifts through the pictures with long, pale fingers.
I’ve hired Victor before.He’s an assassin of the finest caliber but semi-retired.I had to lure him here with a seven-figure advance, so he’s joking about auditioning.
“You might be the only one in the running.We haven’t accepted the job,” Damien tells him.
The room turns expectant eyes on me.I need to sell this.“He’s murdering families.I’m hunting him on my own, but I can’t leave this to chance.”
St.James stirs but doesn’t say anything.He knows why I’m so invested in finding the Bondage Killer, but he wants me to explain why.I knew this meeting would require my complete honesty.It’s a risk to reveal my weakness, but from what I’ve gleaned, Fraternitas understands loyalty.They have rituals revolving around their members claiming a chosen one, so I’m hoping they’ll respect my commitment to Inara.
“He’s targeting someone important to me,” I admit to the room.“A detective named Inara Ramos.She happens to be the only victim of his who escaped.”
Damien finds the copy of the front page of the newspaper that reported the Bondage Killer’s crimes with a picture of Inara as a child in black and white.Hamish paper-clipped a second, more recent photo of her from the NRPD’s employee files.
“She was a child,” he states, frowning at the photos.
“Yes.The Bondage Killer murdered her entire family and saved her for last.It’s not clear why he spared her.She then became a detective to lock up monsters like him.”
Damien rubs the lower half of his face.The back of his hand bears a tattoo of a skull, and the effect of his hand over his face makes him look like he is wearing a mask over his mouth.“What else do we know about this fuck?”
“You have everything we know.”I dip my head toward the files.“Letters tie him to the current scene, but this is the first activity from him in decades.He was presumed dead in a fire.”
I explain how the case in Elyria grew until the whole nation was watching.The feds got involved, but the break in the case came from Lacy Collins, who found the Bondage Killer’s hideout in an abandoned warehouse.
Victor speaks up.“You say he’s targeting your girl.What are your plans to keep her safe?”
