Page 44 of Zen's Crash

Rigs and I begin meticulously combing through the apartment, looking for any tiny clue that might help us unravel this case. I immediately go back to rummaging in the basket because it’s filled with junk. Looking through the papers, I come across business cards. However, nothing seems relevant to our investigation.

Rigs walks back into the main room, looking disgusted. He has a handful of comic books in his hand.

My eyebrows shoot up. “Our Reggie was a comic book fan, was he?”

Rigs throws the comic books down on the floor beside me. “Lexi’s stalker is definitely the killer. And your girl? She’s next on his list.”

“What the everlovin’ fuck are you talking about, brother?”

“Have a look at the one on top.”

I open it up, expecting to see traditional superhero stuff, maybe with shit written in the margins. Instead, this sick, twisted fucker has replaced all the female characters with Lexi’s face and the bodies of nude women cut crudely out of magazines. The more pages I turn, the more alarmed I am. I stop halfway through the book because I can’t take it anymore. “This is some fucked-up, creepy, juvenile shit.”

Rigs says quietly, “That’s not all. Look through the others.”

The last thing in the entire world I want is to open the other comics—not if they all contain crudely cut-out images of the woman I’m falling pretty hard for. Cursing under my breath, I grab the next one. My stomach turns when I realize it’s full of naked cutouts of other women, being bound and killed in various ways.

I open a couple and look before I remember where I’ve seen the faces before. “These are all the faces of the women that were on the flash drive. I believe Reggie is the killer, but the verdict is still out on Lexi’s dad.”

Rigs nods thoughtfully, “Yeah, I agree. Reggie’s definitely our serial killer, but whether Lexi’s father was his partner, or was trying to catch him, remains to be seen.”

When I don’t say anything in response, Rigs speaks up. “I know we wanted to keep Lexi at your house in an effort to draw the killer out, but I think that’s too risky now. She needs to come to the clubhouse. I’ll have the prospects make up a room for her.”

“Yeah, you’re right, but I don’t think she’s gonna be happy about it.”

“Drag her kicking and screaming if you must. Better that she’s furious with you than dead.”

“I get that. I really do,” I tell him. My mind is whirling with ideas for getting her to agree to come to the clubhouse. I can tell her that her friends miss her, which I’m certain is true. I can offer for her to stay in my room at the clubhouse or in a private room. Studies show if you give someone a choice between two things, they’re likely to pick one of them instead of insisting on a third option.

Rigs’ harsh voice cuts through my thoughts. “Earth to Zen, I’m talking to you. It’ll be getting dark soon. You need to go to Lexi and get her to the clubhouse before sunset.”

“Yes,” I mumble as I gather up the comic books and stuff them in my cut. “You sure you’re gonna be okay here by yourself?”

One of Rigs’ eyebrows shoots up, and he says, “I’m gonna pretend I didn’t hear that.”

I head for the door and stop to tease him, “Be careful of Violet. I think you’re just her type.”

Rigs frowns at me. “Out, before I lose my patience with you.”

Chapter 17

Lexi

Ispend the better part of the day working on my custom computer build. I have to admit I’m pleased with how it’s turning out. This is going to be my best build so far.

Continuously shoving all my terror over possibly being stalked by a serial killer to the back of my mind is my main coping skill right now. I am scared, there’s no doubt about that. It’s just that the situation is so surreal I can’t quite get my head around it. This seems like something that happens in the movies or to other people, not me. A small part of my mind keeps telling me that this can’t be happening. I know it’s denial, but I don’t care. If I just stay in my safe room, everything will be okay.

The thing that’s really been on my mind today is what’s going on between me and Zen. In the beginning, I didn’t think I wanted a boyfriend. After everything I’d been through, a romantic relationship seemed seriously out of reach. Zen just jumped right over all the hurdles to us being together like they weren’t even there.

Suddenly, the impossible dream I never dared to even consider became real.

Then I had to go and have a blowout over his suggestion that my dad was the killer instead of the other guy. It was shocking to hear and so out of left field that I lost my bearings. I should never have left him, especially since being with him is the onlyplace I really want to be. I need to figure out a way to make this right with him.

Zen’s a reasonable man. He’ll eventually come around once he verifies my dad’s prints aren’t on that kill bag. Then I’ll do my best to make things right with him.

Before I know it, hours have gone by, and it’s dark. I’m hungry, but after the weirdness with the last delivery driver, I decide instead to eat a handful of dry cereal and then crash.

I don’t know how long I was sleeping for, but suddenly, I’m awoken by a sharp knock at the door of my safe room. When I get up and stumble to the door, I can see through the peephole that it’s Zen. He looks more upset than ever. I don’t know why that bothers me so much. I guess it’s because it’s my fault for running out on him this morning instead of staying and talking it out like a rational human being.

---