Second Chance

Chapter 60

I STEPPED INTO THE STARK WHITE CELL. It was completely empty except for a metal table and four chairs, all bolted to the floor, and two security cameras high up on the walls. In a corner stood a silent, tight-lipped guard holding a stun gun.

Weiscz barely acknowledged me. His legs were fastened and his hands tightly cuffed behind the chair. His eyes had a steely inhuman quality to them.

“I'm Lieutenant Lindsay Boxer,” I said, stopping about five feet from him.

Weiscz said nothing, only tilted his eyes toward me. Narrow, almost phosphorescent slits.

“I need to talk to you about some murders that have taken place. I can't promise you much. I'm hoping you'll hear me out. Maybe help.”

“Blow me,” he spat with a hoarse voice.

The guard took a step toward him, and Weiscz stiffened as if he'd taken a jolt from the taser. I put up my hand to hold him back.

“You may know something about them,” I continued, a chill shooting down my spine. “I just want to know if they make sense to you. These killings... ”

Weiscz looked at me curiously probably trying to size up if there was something he could get from this. “Who's dead?”

“Four people. Two cops. One was my chief of police. A widow and an eleven-year-old girl. All black.” An amused smile settled over Weiscz's face. “In case you haven't noticed, lady, my alibi's airtight.”

“I'm hoping you may know something about them, then.”

“Why me?”

From my jacket pocket, I took out the same two chimera photos I had shown Estes and held them in front of his face.

“The killer's been leaving these behind. I believe you know what it means.”

Weiscz grinned broadly. “I don't know what you came in here for, but you don't fucking know how that warms my heart.”

“The killer's a Chimera, Weiscz. You cooperate, you could gain back some privileges. They can always move you out of this hole.”

“Both of us know I'll never get out of this hole.”

“There's always something, Weiscz. Everybody wants something.”

“There is something,” he finally said. “Come closer.”

My body stiffened. “I can't. You know that.”

“You got a mirror, don't you?”

I nodded. I had a makeup mirror in my purse.

“Shine it on me.”

I looked at the guard. His head twitched a firm no.

For the first time, Weiscz looked in my eyes. “Shine it on me. I haven't seen myself in over a year. Even the shower fixtures are dulled here so you can't see a reflection. These bastards just want you to forget who the fuck you were. I want to see.”

The guard stepped forward. “You know that's impossible, Weiscz.”

“Fuck you, Labont.” He glared viciously up at the cameras.

“Fuck you, too, Estes.” Then he turned back to me. “They didn't send you in here with much to bargain with, did they?”

“They said I could take you out for a Happy Meal,” I said with a slight smile.

“Just you and me, huh?”

I glanced at the guard. “And him.”

Weiscz's goatee split into a smile. “These bastards, they know how to ruin everything.”

I stood there nervously. I didn't laugh. I didn't want to show the slightest empathy for him.

But I sat myself at the table across from Weiscz. I fumbled in my bag, took out a compact. I expected any minute a loud voice was going to blare over the intercom, or the stone-faced guard was going to rush over and knock it away. To my amazement, no one interfered. I cracked the compact open, looked at Weiscz, then I turned it toward him.

I don't know what he looked like before, but he was a horrific sight now. He stared at himself, wide-eyed, the truth of his harsh confinement setting in. He fixed on the mirror as if it were the last thing he would see on earth. Then he looked at me and grinned. “Not much to go on, for that blow-me thing, is there?”

I don't know why but I gave him a begrudging smile.

Then he twisted his neck around to the cameras. “Fuck you, Estes,” he roared. "See? I'm still there. You try to squeeze me out, but I'm still there. The reckoning is going on without me. Chimera, baby... Glory to the unstained hand who stills the rabble and swarm.

“Who would do this?” I pressed. “Tell me, Weiscz.” He knew I knew he knew. Someone he had shared a cell with.

Someone he had traded histories with in a prison yard.

"Help me, Weiscz. Someone you know is killing these people. You've got nothing to gain anymore.

His eyes lit up with a sudden fury. “You think I give a shit about your dead niggers? Your dead cops? Soon the state will be gathering them up anyway. Putting them in pens. A twelve-year-old nigger whore, some monkeys dressed up as cops. I only wish it was my finger on the trigger. We both know, whatever I say to you, I'll never get as much as a second meal out of these bastards. The minute you leave, Labont's gonna stun me anyway. There's a better chance you'll suck my dick.”

I shook my head, stood up, and motioned for the door.

“Maybe one of your own assholes has come to his senses,” he yelled with a smirk. “Maybe that's what it was, an inside job.”

A tremor of rage burned through me. Weiscz was an animal. There wasn't an ounce of humanity in him. All I wanted to do was slam the door in his face. “I did give something to you, even if it was for a moment,” I said.

“And don't be so sure you didn't get something in return. You'll never catch him. He's Chimera... ” Weiscz jerked his head down to his chest, pointing at a tattoo high on his shoulder. All I could make out was the tail of a snake. “We can endure as much as you can dish, copper lady. Look at me... They stuff me in this hellhole, they make me eat my own shit, but I can still win.” Suddenly, he was loud and angry again, twisting at his restraints. “Victory comes in the end. God's grace is the white race. Long live Chimera.”

I moved away from him, and Weiscz twisted defiantly.

“So what about that Happy Meal, bitch?”

As I got to the door, I heard a zap followed by a garbled grunt, and turned as the guard pumped a thousand watts into Weiscz's twitching chest.