could see the swirling gray dust kicked up by Mendes. At last, the car stopped, but the lights stayed on.
While unsure of what the detective was doing, Isaac knew he would never have a better opportunity to kill Mendes. He’d isolated himself and Isaac couldn’t picture the move as a trap. He glanced at his cell phone and smiled as it scanned for a network. Mendes was cut off from the world. Now was the time.
He left the highway, driving with his lights off, and followed Mendes’s trail into the emptiness of the desert. He could see the faint glimmer of the detective’s car as he drove. When he felt he was just outside of the range of being heard by Mendes, Isaac pulled the car off to the side of the road and left it behind. He knew where the detective was, and he would find it much easier to sneak up on him without all the noise. His gun in hand, he drifted through the shrubs and made his way toward the light.
When he’d finally drawn closer, he smiled as he heard the quiet purr of Mendes’s Chrysler. It covered his approach as he moved to the side and ducked low behind a large shrub. The driver’s side door was open, and the interior light showed the vehicle to be empty. Isaac looked to where the headlights illuminated the rutted dirt road, and spied Mendes bent over something in the road. From behind the bush, Isaac couldn’t see what had the detective so occupied, but it was like fate was sending him a message.
Kill him now.
Isaac crept around the car and adjusted his path so the lights wouldn’t cast his shadow in Mendes’s direction. He wanted nothing to ruin his surprise. Isaac still held out hope he could take the detective alive and show him what a real killer did to his victims. How dare he come to Isaac’s town and challenge him. If he had to shoot Mendes, he would, but Isaac wanted him alive.
One easy step after another, he approached the detective. As he did, he suddenly realized what Mendes was looking at. It was a body bag. It looked in use, faint glimmers of the headlight reflecting off something pale inside. The faint waft of decay confirmed his thoughts. As he inched closer, he could see a misshapen, dark pool of emptiness at the left eye, so different than the other. It had to be the toothpicks.
His smile quivered as he came up behind the detective, leveling his gun to get the drop on him. He wanted to hear him scream. The crunch of gravel beneath his shoe gave him away, and before he could shoot, Mendes spun. His gun was out too.
“Stay right there,” Mendes shouted with the barrel of his 9 mm aimed at Isaac’s chest. His eyes narrowed as he recognized him. “Grant?”
Isaac cursed under his breath, but there was nothing he could now but see things through. “You didn’t think you were going to get away with it, did you, Mendes?”
The detective’s hand trembled, but he kept his pistol leveled. “What are you talking about, man? I know we got off to a rough start, but put your gun down.”
“The killing, Mendes…I’m talking about the killing. Or should I call you Bane?” Isaac watched the detective’s hand and smiled. He was scared. He could only imagine it wasn’t easy having the tables turned on you.
“You are fucking crazy, you know that? I’m no killer.” Mendes’s eyes glistened in the dim light and Isaac thought he saw him tearing up. “Put your weapon away, man, you’re freaking me out.”
Isaac shook his head. “There’s no talking your way out of this one. I can see the toothpicks in the body from here.”
Mendes raised his other hand, palm up and fingers spread. “I received a call…a tip…telling me she was here. That’s all it is, man, I swear.” His voice quavered.
“Out in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of the night, someone just conveniently calls you about a body there’s no way they could have seen or stumbled across, and you just run out here without backup or telling anyone?” Isaac chuckled. He knew better. Mendes was a
While unsure of what the detective was doing, Isaac knew he would never have a better opportunity to kill Mendes. He’d isolated himself and Isaac couldn’t picture the move as a trap. He glanced at his cell phone and smiled as it scanned for a network. Mendes was cut off from the world. Now was the time.
He left the highway, driving with his lights off, and followed Mendes’s trail into the emptiness of the desert. He could see the faint glimmer of the detective’s car as he drove. When he felt he was just outside of the range of being heard by Mendes, Isaac pulled the car off to the side of the road and left it behind. He knew where the detective was, and he would find it much easier to sneak up on him without all the noise. His gun in hand, he drifted through the shrubs and made his way toward the light.
When he’d finally drawn closer, he smiled as he heard the quiet purr of Mendes’s Chrysler. It covered his approach as he moved to the side and ducked low behind a large shrub. The driver’s side door was open, and the interior light showed the vehicle to be empty. Isaac looked to where the headlights illuminated the rutted dirt road, and spied Mendes bent over something in the road. From behind the bush, Isaac couldn’t see what had the detective so occupied, but it was like fate was sending him a message.
Kill him now.
Isaac crept around the car and adjusted his path so the lights wouldn’t cast his shadow in Mendes’s direction. He wanted nothing to ruin his surprise. Isaac still held out hope he could take the detective alive and show him what a real killer did to his victims. How dare he come to Isaac’s town and challenge him. If he had to shoot Mendes, he would, but Isaac wanted him alive.
One easy step after another, he approached the detective. As he did, he suddenly realized what Mendes was looking at. It was a body bag. It looked in use, faint glimmers of the headlight reflecting off something pale inside. The faint waft of decay confirmed his thoughts. As he inched closer, he could see a misshapen, dark pool of emptiness at the left eye, so different than the other. It had to be the toothpicks.
His smile quivered as he came up behind the detective, leveling his gun to get the drop on him. He wanted to hear him scream. The crunch of gravel beneath his shoe gave him away, and before he could shoot, Mendes spun. His gun was out too.
“Stay right there,” Mendes shouted with the barrel of his 9 mm aimed at Isaac’s chest. His eyes narrowed as he recognized him. “Grant?”
Isaac cursed under his breath, but there was nothing he could now but see things through. “You didn’t think you were going to get away with it, did you, Mendes?”
The detective’s hand trembled, but he kept his pistol leveled. “What are you talking about, man? I know we got off to a rough start, but put your gun down.”
“The killing, Mendes…I’m talking about the killing. Or should I call you Bane?” Isaac watched the detective’s hand and smiled. He was scared. He could only imagine it wasn’t easy having the tables turned on you.
“You are fucking crazy, you know that? I’m no killer.” Mendes’s eyes glistened in the dim light and Isaac thought he saw him tearing up. “Put your weapon away, man, you’re freaking me out.”
Isaac shook his head. “There’s no talking your way out of this one. I can see the toothpicks in the body from here.”
Mendes raised his other hand, palm up and fingers spread. “I received a call…a tip…telling me she was here. That’s all it is, man, I swear.” His voice quavered.
“Out in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of the night, someone just conveniently calls you about a body there’s no way they could have seen or stumbled across, and you just run out here without backup or telling anyone?” Isaac chuckled. He knew better. Mendes was a
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