The Stranger You Seek - By Amanda Kyle Williams Page 0,21
objected. “Because she opened the door for the creepy sonofabitch just like the other three. She lived alone, though. David doesn’t.”
“He won’t take David at home. He’s stepping out of that box, which makes him even more dangerous.”
“We’re looking into the bisexual thing. But, truth is, it’s the most closeted community out there. Lot of guys might want it, but they don’t necessarily advertise that. We’re hoping David does or the killer does. We’re canvassing bars—straight, gay, S/M—questioning hustlers, male and female.”
“This is not about sexual preference or sexual attraction,” I said, and thought about all the violent serial cases I’d worked with the Bureau. “It’s about power.”
“How do I find him?” Rauser asked. “How do we get to David in time?”
“Release the letter,” I answered.
9
I felt like I’d been out jogging all night. Rauser stayed until almost six. I was supposed to serve a restraining order at nine. Normally, these things aren’t scheduled, but I got lucky on this one. The target, one William LaBrecque, had been forced to agree to church counseling sessions and to accept the documents I intended to hand him, a restraining order he’d dodged from the sheriff for weeks, in order for the State to consider supervised visitations. Easy money.
I found him in the chapel, sitting ramrod straight, staring ahead. A carpenter, I knew from his file, and a strong block of a man. William LaBrecque didn’t seem particularly happy to see me. The feeling was mutual. I had not been inside a church in fifteen years.
“Don’t you dare hand that to me in a house of God!” He practically hissed at me. His top lip curled.
“Look, we both know you have to take this or you’ll never get to see your kid, so don’t give me the house-of-God crap,” I whispered. “Take it or I’ll leave it sitting here. Either way, you’ve been served, Mr. LaBrecque.”
Uh-oh. I was beginning to think we might have a problem. A lovely crimson rose up from his neck and a bulging blue vein in his temple started doing the Macarena.
“I’ll just leave it,” I whispered.
“Screw you,” he snarled, and quite unexpectedly grabbed my wrist hard as I tried to squeeze past him in the pew. I didn’t like his hands on me and I didn’t trust his eyes, glossy and lit up now like lava. So much for the house-of-God thing.
“Hey.” I twisted my wrist free. “I’m just the messenger here, pal. You knew this was coming. Your pastor made the arrangements. I don’t think a big ole scene in church is going to help your case.”
“You know why that bitch lawyer and the pastor wanted us to meet in the church?” LaBrecque asked. “So I wouldn’t be tempted to cut your Chink ass into little pieces and stuff you in the fucking sewer.”
Oh boy.
That was my morning. Maybe later I could poke myself in the eye three or four hundred times just for fun.
The sun is streaming in through windows. The room is quiet as the killer leans back and reaches for the iPhone. There’s video there, video of the black lawyer and video of the Asian bitch, the fussy mother hen cooking stinking cabbage for her son. That one was a favorite. Lei Koto on her knees begging and pleading. No dignity at all.
The killer smiled and slipped a hand into expensively tailored pants, and switched on the video of Lei Koto. Everyone needs a release now and then.
“Put on the gloves. That’s right. Now give me your hand. Touch me right here just like this. Do it! Yeah, that’s right. Keep doing it, baby. You stop and I’ll fuck you up. You hear me? Stupid fucking bitch. You like jerking me off, don’t you? Say it. Tell me you like it. Tell me.”
“I do. I like it.”
“Like what? Say it!”
“I like jerking you off?”
“Oh no. That’s no good at all. You know what happens when you don’t do this right? I get the knife back out. Is that what you want? Now, try again with some conviction this time. Say it. Say it like you mean it. You like jerking me off, don’t you? You love it. You want me to come, don’t you?”
“Please, just let me go. I’ll do anything you want. I will. I swear. I won’t make a sound. Just tell me what you want me to do.”
“I want you to say it right or I will end this now. Do you understand, Lei?”