Page 123 of I'm Watching You

‘8021, Homicide has requested this communication be handled on a secure channel. Switch to …’

‘Shit.’ Kendall’s mind reeled. Mutilated body. The eighties were the western end of the county, which was near her and the shelter. She ran to the avocado green wall phone and dialed her cameraman’s phone number.

On the fourth ring, a gravelly voice heavy with sleep answered. ‘What?’

‘How soon can you pick me up?’ She paced the kitchen, frustrated that a phone cord tethered her to the wall.

‘Kendall?’ He swore. ‘Why?’

‘Body at Deep Run Park. I think it’s our guy.’

He cleared his throat. ‘Give me twenty minutes.’

‘Make it fifteen and I’ll be out front waiting.’

‘Right.’

Fourteen minutes later, she stood outside, briefcase in hand. She didn’t have the time to shower, so she’d swept her hair up with a French twist comb, quickly applied her makeup, and slipped on a simple blue sheath and heeled sandals.

‘So where we going?’ Mike said when he pulled up. Thick stubble covered his square jaw, and his thinning shoulder-length black hair was loosely bound at the nape of his neck. His Hawaiian shirt flapped in the air from theACvent.

She flipped through her notes. ‘To Lindsay O’Neil’s house.’

Mike sipped the last of yesterday’s Big Gulp as he put the van in reverse and backed out of the driveway. The faint smell of cigarette smoke hung in the air. ‘I thought the body was at some park. I know the other news teams will be there.’

‘And I know the cops are going to have the area locked up tight.’

‘So why Lindsay’s again?’

‘Because after the last two murders, there was a disturbance just a few hours later near Lindsay. If our friend Steve is correct, the killer is sending hands to Lindsay. My guess is, the killer is going to send her something now and I want to be there when he does.’

‘Why send her a hand?’

‘Who knows? Who cares really? He’s like a cat that dumps a mouse at its master’s feet.’

He considered what she’d said. ‘The killer thinks of Lindsay as his master?’

‘Maybe. Or maybe he’s fixated on her. Whatever his motivations, we’ve got three murders now. Richmond has a serial killer.’ She tapped her foot. ‘If I could find a way to draw this guy out, I could write my own ticket.’

Mike looked at Kendall as if she’d lost her mind. ‘You want to draw out a serial killer.’

‘I sure do.’

‘How are you going to do that?’

‘Go after Lindsay. If I can make her miserable enough, hound her with the cameras, I’m willing to bet our guy gets pissed and shows himself.’

‘Or he just kills you.’

The thought didn’t frighten her enough to change her mind. ‘I’ll be fine.’

This story was going to take her places. She dug her cell out of her purse and punched in her news director’s number. She relayed the information and told him to call the network. This was the stuff of national news.

Mike drove by Lindsay’s town house. ‘I don’t see her Jeep.’

‘Park the van down the street out of sight.’

‘And?’

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