Page 18 of So Savage

His eyes narrowed.“Are you responsible for the death of Grant Monroe and two other victims left with messages to Special Agent Faith Bold on their bodies?”

She paled when she heard Faith’s name.“No.I swear it.”

“That doesn’t mean shit to me.You wrote West saying that you were going to kill Faith.Do you remember that?”

“I didn’t say that,” Marion corrected.“I said that she deserves to die.I didn’t say I would kill her.”

“But youdidwrite to West.”

She realized her mistake and swore.“Damn it.How did you figure that out?”

“I’m a good detective.”

In reality, he had blackmailed the warden of the prison where Dr.West was held, and the warden had given him the letters.The ones he had in his pocket were only copies.The originals were at home.

She ran her hands through her hair.She was starting to tremble, her lips shaking with emotion.“Have you told anyone else?”

“Not yet,” he replied.

She took a deep breath and tried to steady herself.“Please don’t tell anyone.If my husband found out I was doing this, it would be the end of my marriage.”

“One might argue that itshouldbe the end of your marriage.”

“Yes, but it doesn’t mean anything.”

“Writing a serial killer and offering to murder his enemies—most particularly an FBI agent—to smithereens doesn’t mean anything?”

“God, it was just…” she sighed.“Look, it was just for fun.I wasn’t going to do anything.I just wrote to him because… I mean…”

She struggled for an answer, probably trying to come up with something that didn’t sound utterly stupid.What she came up with definitely qualified as stupid.

“You know, life is short.”

“Shorter when it’s ended by a serial killer,” Michael pointed out.

She slumped.“He’s in jail.Let’s be real, he’s not getting out.I don’t know if you’ve seen the prison they’re holding him in, but they have him guarded like he’s Hannibal Lecter.Yes, I know Lecter gets out in the movie, but this isn’t a movie.He’s going to be in jail for the rest of his life.”

“It’s a good thing he’s got friends on the outside,” Michael said.“Friends who can go after the biggest thorn in his side.”

“I’m not going to go after anyone,” she insisted.“I was just having fun.Don’t look at me like that.It’s the truth.”

“Help me understand what’s fun about a married woman having an emotional affair with a man who enjoyed tying people to chairs and cutting them until they nearly bled out, then severing their tendons until they didn’t look human, and then watching them bleed to death.”

Marion’s gaze lowered.

“Sounds a lot less fun when you say it out loud, doesn’t it?”Michael said.

She swallowed.“I didn’t think about all of that.I just…” She looked at the door and tapped her foot.“My husband will be home soon.Can we talk about this—”

“I am very close to telling the entire world about the letters you wrote West,” Michael interrupted, “And I could not give a single shit about what happens to you if that story gets out.If you want to convince me not to ruin your life and enjoy every second of doing so, start being honest with me.”

“Okay!”she shouted.“Goddamnit.”Tears were running down her face now.“Look, strong men are sexy.Men who can dominate people are sexy.My husband is a good guy, but he’s so gentle all the time.I want to be with a man who will just take control, you know?West takes control.”

“By murdering people.”

“Yes, I know.You don’t have to keep reminding me.I wrote West those letters because I think it's sexy to imagine a man who treats me like a princess, screws me like a whore, protects me from people by tearing them to literal pieces, and takes what he wants when he wants, regardless of the consequences.Yes, in real life, I understand that it's wrong to do all of those things, and if West showed up at my door to fulfill all of those dreams, I'd probably be scared out of my wits.But this isn't real life.It's just a game.I'm writing someone who can't even write me back.And I would never come after Faith Bold.I'm not that kind of woman.It's just… a game."

Michael let the silence hang in the air until Marion began to fidget.“I’m going to guess by the fact that you won’t meet my eyes that you understand how absolutely stupid you sound right now,” he said.“Which is good, because you see, Marion, this isn’t a game.Thirty-two people lost their lives in brutal fashion at this man’s hands, including a colleague and personal friend of mine.Those are just the people we know about.There’s evidence to indicate that the actual number of victims might be twice that many.There’s a memorial for his victims at City Center.I’ve seen young children there put flowers on pictures of their mommies and daddies and ask God to take good care of their parents and maybe let them visit as angels in their dreams so they can see them one more time.”

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