Now in a much more cooperative frame of mind, he passed his phone to Owen who checked it and nodded.
And, just like that, this strong suspect was off their list. He'd been running for another reason. His time was accounted for.
"Don't run from the police again," Owen warned, before vaulting back into their borrowed boat. "That could have had a disastrous outcome. Next time, behave like a reasonable person."
"I will," Keenan said, sounding chastised.
As Owen started up the boat, May's phone rang.
"Sis, where are you?" It was Kerry speaking.
"We've just been interviewing a suspect," May said.
"Are you wrapped up for the night?"
She sighed. "I guess we are. We don't have any more suspects, and it's now getting late." Too late to go knocking on doors in a small town.
"That's good. I'm at your house. I want to show you something. It's connected with what happened this morning. I think it's important."
May felt a flare of excitement. Had Kerry made progress?
"I'll be home in half an hour," she said.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
He knew it was time. Climbing in his car, the killer prepared to drive to his next destination.
His mind was spinning with all the details, with what it would take to do this again, and so soon after the last kill. But right now, speed was his friend. He needed to be fast. With any luck, this was going to show the police how slow and backward they were. He was going to advance his cause, take the next step that he needed to, and they would never know.
He might be a small guy, but he was smart, and he was deadly.
The guy he was going to take down was a big guy. Big and strong, an imposing figure. More than that, he was a bully, a womanizer, a party person who took and used as he pleased. Just like the last kill, this one would give him so much pleasure.
He knew all about him, of course. His face flashed into his mind as he climbed into the car and drove.
The short beard, those dark eyebrows, that big jaw. Definitely not a man to be messed with. The killer checked that he had his pepper spray, ready and available. He couldn't wait to spray him in the eyes. The sense of satisfaction knowing that he would never look again—would never see again—was pure gold. There was no feeling like it.
"You don't deserve to look. Or to see." He muttered the words to himself as he drove. He had his route well mapped out. He was a careful planner.
His heart was racing a little, but he was feeling strong. The adrenaline was flowing, and he let it take over.
He was going to take down a man he hated. The world was his. He could do whatever he wanted. He could take charge, and he could show them all what he was made of.
The car's headlights flashed over the road before him. He was familiar with this route, but he still drove carefully. That was his nature. He didn't like to risk anything.
Every minute of his time was now accounted for. He parked in the parking lot of a shopping mall two blocks from the man's house. Yes, there were cameras at the mall, but it didn't matter to him, because it was far enough away. He was just innocently shopping. There would be no reason to link him to this killing. Only he knew the reason.
"Hey there!"
When he climbed out of the car, he heard an older man's voice greeting him. The friendly words sent a shiver of ice down his spine because he didn't want to be seen or recognized. But now, he had been. Something had gone wrong. He hoped that wasn’t a sign.
"Hey," he replied, summoning up a smile. He reminded himself to keep his nerve. In this dark evening, with the clouds now heavy in the sky, nobody was going to talk for long. What he needed to do was appear normal. Especially since it did look as if this older man, who was a neighbor of his from a few years ago, was leaving.
"I suppose you're here to do some shopping? Got any big plans for the weekend?"
"Not really," the killer replied. He forced a smile, hoping to make the conversation quickly end.
But the man smiled back and kept talking. "Oh, that's too bad. I was planning to take my wife out for dinner. We haven't been out for ages. It's a special occasion. Our anniversary. We're celebrating thirty-five years together."
