The Night Stalker

Fifty-Five

Hunter kept his gaze on Myers for several seconds. She held his stare with identical determination.

‘OK,’ Hunter finally said, ‘let’s see that PI license you were talking about. But very slowly.’

‘Let’s see that police badge you were talking about,’ Myers challenged.

Hunter pulled open the left side of his leather jacket. His badge was clipped onto his belt.

Myers acknowledged it with a nod, unzipped her pouch belt and handed Hunter a black leather wallet.

He scrutinized her identity card before returning his attention to Myers. Dark eyes, small nose, high cheekbones, full lips, perfect skin, and an athlete’s body.

Hunter finally holstered his weapon before picking up his flashlight together with Myers’ gun — a Sig Sauer P226 X-5 semi-auto pistol.

‘Being a PI must pay well,’ he said, releasing the magazine and checking for a chambered round before handing the empty pistol back to Myers. ‘This is a two and a half grand gun.’ He slipped the magazine into his pocket.

‘Why? Are you looking for a new job? I could certainly use a guy like you. Good benefits and health insurance.’

Hunter took a paper tissue from a dispenser on the dresser and cleared some of the blood from his face. ‘Yeah? Well, I couldn’t use a boss like you.’

Myers smiled. ‘Oh, you’re quick with the comebacks too? I guess the chicks dig that.’

Hunter ignored her comment.

‘Are you gonna tell me who you are now, or shall I just call you Mr. Detective?’ she asked, folding her arms.

‘My name is Robert Hunter.’ He handed her wallet back to her. ‘I’m a detective with the LAPD.’

‘Which section?’ She nodded at his badge. ‘As I said, I know you’re not Missing Persons.’

Hunter placed the flashlight on the dresser. ‘Homicide Special.’

Myers eyes widened. She knew exactly what that meant. For a beat she seemed lost for words. ‘When?’ she asked.

‘When what?’

‘Don’t play dumb. You don’t look the type, and I’m through fucking around. Do you know when Jensen died?’

Hunter studied Myers’ face and saw a hint of desperation there. He mechanically checked his watch before conceding. ‘Yesterday.’

‘Was her body found yesterday or did she die yesterday?’

‘Both. She’d been dead for only a few hours when we found her.’

‘Whoever took her kept her for almost three weeks before killing her?’

Hunter didn’t reply. He didn’t need to. Myers knew exactly the implications of such an act by a kidnapper/ murderer.

‘How was she murdered?’ she asked.

Silence.

‘Oh c’mon, I’m not asking for any major investigation secrets. I know the protocol and I know what you can and cannot disclose. If not from you, how long do you think it’ll take me to find that information out? A couple of phone calls, maybe. I’ve still got contacts and connections in the force.’

Hunter still said nothing.

‘Fine. I’ll find out my way then.’

‘The killer used a knife.’

Myers ran the tips of her fingers against her upper lip.

‘How many victims?’

Hunter looked back at her curiously.

She continued. ‘How many victims have you got so far? If you’re Homicide Special it means this guy has either killed before or Kelly Jensen was killed in a particularly horrific way. . or both. And if I had to take a guess I’d say both.’

Hunter remained silent.

‘You’re looking for a serial killer, aren’t you?’

‘For someone who used to be a cop, you sure jump to conclusions very quickly.’

Myers’ eyes moved away from Hunter.

‘OK, it’s your turn to share,’ he said. ‘Who’s this ex-boyfriend you’re working for?’

Myers didn’t want to embroil herself further in her lie. ‘You want information from me now?’ Her eyebrows arched.

‘Are we back playing games again, sweetheart?’ Hunter challenged. ‘I thought you said you were through fucking around.’

Myers glared at him again.

‘Kelly Jensen is dead. Murdered in a way your nightmares couldn’t produce. Your Missing Persons case is over. That’s all you need to know.’

‘Client/investigator confidentiality privileges don’t end once the case is over. You know that.’

‘The ex-boyfriend could be a suspect.’

A second of hesitation.

‘He isn’t,’ Myers said confidently. ‘Or do you think I didn’t have him thoroughly checked out before taking the case. And you said that Kelly was killed yesterday. He’s been out of the country for five days.’

‘If you’re so sure of his innocence, why not give me his name and let me check him out too.’

A long, uncomfortable moment played out between them before Myers put out her right arm, the palm of her hand facing up. Her eyes staring straight into Hunter’s. ‘Can I have my ammunitions clip back?’

Hunter knew she was asking for a trust gesture. A give in order to receive kind of thing. He slowly retrieved the magazine from his pocket and placed it in her hand. Myers didn’t load it into her gun. Instead, she just stared at it for a long moment. Her lie was snowballing into something she knew she wouldn’t be able to control. She needed to get out of there before she made a mistake.

‘You know I can’t give you his name. If I do I’ll never get another client again. But I can hand you everything I have on the case. Maybe you can find something there.’

Hunter saw her right eye twitch ever so slightly.

Myers looked down and checked her watch. ‘Give me a few hours to gather everything together and you can have whatever I have.’

Hunter continued to observe her.

‘I know where to find you.’

Hunter watched Myers leave the room before reaching into his pocket. He looked down at the Private Investigator’s ID he’d slipped out of her leather wallet.

‘And I know where to find you,’ he whispered to himself.