The Executioner

Hundred and Thirty

Hunter saw this as an opportunity to buy time and maybe fill in some blanks.

‘Alright.’ He spoke slowly. ‘You used to be Michael Madden. Your wife used to be Katherine Davis. You were both students at Compton High. Like several other students you were bullied, pushed around and made fun of, and that extended way beyond the school gates. Back then, there was a particular group of kids who took bullying to a whole different level. They humiliated both of you to such a degree you ended up hating the way you looked. You couldn’t stand looking at yourselves in the mirror.’ Hunter paused, searching his attacker’s face. ‘That group of kids was known as “Strutter’s Gang”.’

Tyler didn’t look surprised. ‘So you finally found out about them? I’m glad. I was worried no one would.’

‘And that’s why you directed us to the pictures on the fireplace. We missed them at first and you couldn’t have that. You couldn’t have those victims being attributed to someone else. You needed us to find out about the bullying.’

Tyler smiled.

Hunter kept his voice steady as he continued. ‘Then you became rich. Very rich. You had money to do anything you wished, including starting a new life someplace else. Someplace no one knew who you were, far away from the bullying, but that wouldn’t be enough. The damage had already been done. Every time you looked in the mirror, you still hated what you saw.’

‘Money can buy anything, detective.’

‘Including a new face,’ Hunter admitted.

Tyler laughed. ‘Please don’t stop now,’ he teased. ‘My life story is just getting interesting.’ He leaned against the wall. A relaxed gesture. Hunter carried on buying time.

‘You created a new identity – Dan Tyler. From then on you had a good life. You’d even forgotten about Strutter and his gang for twenty-five years, hadn’t you? But something brought them back.’ Hunter paused, waiting for some sort of reaction from Tyler. He got none. ‘Was it Kate’s death? Is that why you decided to go after them and their fears? Because your worst fear had become a reality?’

Intrigue colored Tyler’s face. ‘My worst fear?’

Hunter needed to choose his words carefully. ‘Losing the person you loved the most. Your wife. That was your worst fear, wasn’t it?’

Tyler clapped his hands slowly while cocking both eyebrows and nodding. ‘I’m impressed. You do know more than I thought you did.’ He reached for something on the metal table and Hunter tensed. ‘Did you figure that out by yourself or did she tell you?’ Tyler lifted the copy of the LA Times with Mollie’s picture.

For the first time Hunter’s eyes left Tyler’s face and quickly searched the room for a hiding place – nothing.

‘Where is she? Where’s Mollie?’ he asked tentatively.

Tyler frowned. ‘You think she’s here? Why would I have her?’

‘Because she was a threat to you and your plan. Because she knows who you are.’