Page 31 of Savage Seduction

"I’m sorry, I’m not aware."

"He was murdered," she says, putting a hand to her mouth. After a few seconds, she says, "The police never caught who did it, but I had my suspicions."

I lean in closer. "Who?"

"When my husband was found lying naked in the dry L.A. River, under the Sixth Street Bridge, his…" She pauses for a second, visibly shaking. "His body had been mutilated. Carved up in some kind of satanic ritual, the police said. There were deep cuts across his chest and thighs, none of which had been fatal… but all done to him before he died."

"Catherine… I’m so sorry. How long ago did this happen?"

"Seven years, this January," she says, as she wipes a tear from her cheek. "It was the L.A. Butcher. I’m sure of it."

I nearly vomit. I swallow hard and try not to overreact. "Seven years ago? From what I recall, his killings started no more than five years ago."

She balls up a fist and slams it down on the chair. "I knowwhat the cops told me back then, but I feel it was him. The symbols he carved into him. The way his body was positioned. It was ritualistic… just like The Butcher."

I want to confide in her, tell her about what had happened to me. I want to lift my shirt and show her my scars, but I am afraid. "I believe you."

"There’s evidence that serial killers often practice on animals and other victims before they are ever even profiled. I know it was him. I just know it."

I sit in silence as her statements repeat in my mind, trying to make sense of it all.

"The reason I’m telling you this is because I believe you when you say you’re in danger. I got the sense that whoever called me, not only knew you, but me as well. There was a familiarity in his tone. Max, I have to ask you… when you were a police officer… did you work on The Butcher case?"

It is now or never. I nod.

"I believe we are both in danger."

"Do you want to go to the police?" I ask.

"Fuck them. They didn’t want to hear it from me when I told them the first time. Can you imagine us going now and saying a dead man who was killed by them has somehow come back to life and is now harassing us? Not on your life."

I smile. "I know exactly how you feel."

She sighs. "What are we going to do about this, Max?"

"I don’t know yet, but I’m working on it."

A knock at the door makes me jump up from the chair.

Catherine stands and walks over to the door, but before opening she turns back and plasters on a pleasant smile—as if instructing me to do the same.

"Oh hello, Doctor Austin," she says as she opens the door.

Shit, I was supposed to be in the lab, I think.

"Have you seen Doctor Salgado?" he asks.

Catherine hesitates for a moment but steps aside andopens the door the rest of the way. "We were just discussing how excited he is at this opportunity you have so graciously provided him."

Paul Austin’s expression of momentary surprise fades away with a single breath. "Yes, great. Doctor Salgado you must be more conscientious of the time." He points to his watch. "You’re holding up the team."

"My apologies, Doctor." I clear my throat. "Thank you for your time, Dr. Nakamura. I will leave you to your work."

"You’ve got a wonderfully talented and eager junior curator on your team," Catherine says to Dr. Austin.

"Wonderful," he says, stepping aside as I walk through the door to leave the office. "I’ll meet you downstairs in the lab, Doctor Salgado."

I nod and hurry toward the elevators, leaving my superiors to watch me leave in silence.

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