D A Novel (George Right) - By George Right Page 0,43

Claus after the New Year? Flying deer definitely wouldn't go amiss now... Probably, he should have not left Greenwood so hastily. The girl wouldn't be found till spring; her parents didn't care about her... But his intuition had forced him to move on and he had gotten used to trusting his intuition. Perhaps, all the matter was that he hadn't gotten her far enough into the woods. But the snow was deep and the child looked too sickly–she would have become exhausted too early... Not without a reason she was scorned in her class. She had, of course, told kind Santa all about it. When he saw that they were broken down enough not to dare to shout–though he always chose such places where a shout couldn't be heard, but care never hurts–he always took the tape from their mouths and made them talk about themselves. A diploma in child psychology is a useful thing, but theoretical science is dead without field practice. Most serial killers, with each new victim, come closer to making mistakes and being captured. But Nicholas, on the contrary, learns each time more and more about his prey and becomes all the more elusive. And what a pleasure is to look and listen to them standing, naked and helpless, knee-deep in snow, shivering from cold and fear, and murmuring in their pitiful breaking voices about their pathetic lives! Only remembering it caused so fast and hard a response in his pants that he had a strong desire to stop the car right now and resort to a handjob. But no, now's not the right time... There will be long months ahead when these memories will be his only source of pleasure, so he'd better not waste their sharpness now...

Nevertheless Nicolas stopped his Ford. A fork appeared ahead–just the right time to check his coordinates and make further plans. He pulled out a map from the glove compartment and spread it over the dashboard. So, if he turns right now, Malcolmtown is five miles down the road. Population 16 thousand. And among them, of course, there will be enough bad boys and girls.

"So, what do they have at the lab?" Douglas inquired after Rockston hung up. They sat in Douglas' office, and outside the window the white veil of a blizzard streamed.

"Good news, sir. Near the nail on the right middle finger they found a hair. More precisely, a piece of hair. White. Now they'll analyze it and get everything possible out of it." John paused and then added, "Though it seems to me, it's not what they think. I think I know who it is."

"So who?"

"Santa Claus."

Douglas sniffed loudly, but then understood that the trainee was not kidding.

"You mean, a guy in Santa Claus costume?"

"Exactly. In fact, I've had this idea since this morning when we investigated the crime scene. Blood and snow, red and white. Colors of Santa Claus."

"An unorthodox association," Douglas grinned.

"To tell the truth, in my childhood I was afraid of Santa Claus," John admitted, a bit ashamed.

"Afraid? Why?"

"I didn't like the idea that some odd guy could get to me through a flue while I slept," Rockston said with a smile, and then continued more seriously: "And why are people afraid of ghosts? Not because ghosts are spiteful or capable of doing real harm. According to most legends, a ghost can't do any more harm than a hologram. And nevertheless, nine of ten people would yell in horror at seeing a phantom of their own beloved mommy. So why? Simply because it is something otherworldly. Supernatural. And that kind of horror is worse than any physical fear. Santa is like that and it would be more logical to ask why others are not afraid of him, than to ask why I was afraid..."

"All right, excursions into psychology can wait," Douglas interrupted impatiently. "Really, the Snowman dressed as Santa would explain why he entices children so easily. And a man in such a costume during this time of year doesn't cause any adult suspicion, not to mention that Santa's attributes mask his true appearance. Do we have any more arguments?"

"At first, I thought that red and white could actually be his fetish. But then I understood that it's also very convenient. Blood is not visible on red clothing, at least, not from afar. And he, obviously, hides his victim's stuff in a bag with gifts. The role of Santa is so ideal for a child killer that I'm surprised we haven't seen this