Page 119 of I'm Watching You

Warwick found a pencil and a Post-it pad. Quickly he scratched out a note begging out of the bout scheduled for Saturday. As he pressed the note to the computer screen, he caught sight of a framed picture nestled on the far-right corner of the desk. He never remembered seeing the picture before. Curious, he picked it up.

Unlike the others, this picture was of a twentysomething Pete holding a young girl not more than five. She had yellow hair, fair eyes, and a big gap-toothed grin. Pete stared down at the girl, his gaze tender and full of love.

Did Pete have a kid? In all the years Warwick had known Pete, he’d never talked about having any other family. He’d always said Warwick was all the family he’d needed.

But who was Warwick to criticize the old guy for having a few secrets.

God knows, Warwick had his share.

Richard Braxton arrived at the posh Richmond Hotel suite just after seven. His back was stiff and his head pounded as he watched the bellboy set his overnight bag on a luggage rack at the foot of the bed. Richard set his computer bag on the bed, pulled a fifty from his pocket, and handed it to the bellboy. ‘Thanks.’

The kid glanced at the fifty and his eyes brightened. ‘Anything else I can do for you?’

‘Where can I set my computer up?’

The bellboy pointed to a table by the large window that looked out toward the river. ‘Just call down to the front desk and they’ll give you the password for the wireless hookup.’

Richard handed the kid another twenty. ‘Do me a favor and get the password for me. There should also be a package for me at the front desk. Deliver both back to my room in thirty minutes along with an egg-white omelet, orange juice, and whole-wheat toast dry.

The bellboy pocketed the bill. ‘The package arrived before you did.’ He walked into the sitting room. ‘Here it is.’

Richard took the twelve-by-twelve-inch box. ‘Thanks.’

‘I’ll take care of the password and omelet right away.’

‘Good.’

The kid was annoyingly bright eyed but useful. ‘Is this your first time in Richmond?’

Richard managed a smile. ‘Yes.’

‘Business or pleasure?’

‘A little of both.’ He hated travel. It threw off his routine and generally put him in a foul mood.

‘If there is anything else I can do for you, just ring. Ask for Johnny.’

‘Thanks, Johnny. I’ll do that.’

When Johnny closed the door behind him, Richard turned to the window and loosened his tie. This city was as hot as blazes and the humidity was so thick he could cut it with a knife. He missed California, his views of the Pacific Ocean, and he couldn’t wait to return.

But he was willing to put up with all the inconveniences if it meant finding his Christina. His home hadn’t felt right without her.

He opened the box. Inside was a strand of nylon rope, a .38 pistol, a switchblade, vials of sedatives, and syringes. Lessons would have to be taught to Christina. She would have to understand that running from him was wrong.

‘Soon, Christina, soon I will find you and soon you will come home with me, where you belong.’

Greenland’s body, now wrapped in tarp, was heavier than the Guardian had anticipated. Add to that the pain of his cracked rib and it was a struggle to haul the body out of the white van as the sun rose.

The Guardian grabbed the rope around the tarp and jerked hard. Pain scorched through his midsection and shot up and down his spine. For a moment he had to pause and catch his breath.

Sweat beaded on his forehead. He’d gotten sloppy last night. He’d underestimated his enemy and he’d nearly screwed everything up. He rubbed the sweat from his brow. He’d not slept in four or five days and his reflexes were off. But to sleep would mean a break from the killing and he wouldn’t stop.Couldn’tstop.

He could have left the body in the woods but it was important to display his work. People needed to know that monsters like Greenland weren’t safe fromhim.

After wiping more sweat from his forehead, he gritted his teeth and pulled the body to the ground. He dragged it across the dry earth toward a tall oak by the mountainbikers’ trail in Deep Run Park. Few traveled the path this early, but by midday it would see enough traffic that someone would find the body.

With a grunt he pulled the body upright. Quickly, he unwrapped the tarp, uncovering Greenland’s head and torso. He’d position the body and then deliver the hand – the trophy – to Lindsay.

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