Page 59

“I’m sorry if I made trouble for you, ma’am, but I’d like to clarify something.My partner didn’t get extremely lucky.He used his high-level deductive skills to postulate a hypothetical motivation for a known serial killer’s actions, then gathered evidence that ended up supporting that hypothesis.The short version of what I just said is that he’s a good detective.He detected the answer and brought the Bureau much closer to finding this killer.”

“Excuseme?”

“Ma’am, I don’t mean to be rude, but you walked into one of the most active field offices in the United States and tried to run it by the book.There’s a reason why your agents aren’t following your instructions.We’ve achieved great success in the past because we were allowed to operate in a manner that’s comfortable to us, not simply follow the letter of the law.”

Faith didn’t know how wise it was to speak to her superior—even an acting superior—like this, but Tabitha had a particular skill at getting Faith’s blood up.

“Well, I’m sorry to hear that your predecessor thought it was all right to let you act like a bunch of little sailboats making your own merry way throughout the world, but that’s not how I’m going to run my field office.It’s just notacceptable.Why should you all be allowed to break rules when no one else is?”

“Because we’re very good at catching bad guys, ma’am.”

Tabitha was quiet for so long that Faith thought she might have hung up.Before she asked if Tabitha was still on, though, the ASAC said tonelessly, “At Director Smythe’s request, you will return to Philadelphia and resume your duties as a field agent at this office.I’m emailing your flight information now.”

She hung up, and Faith smiled with excitement.Tabitha hadn’t directly said that Faith was being given the Messenger case, but there was no other reason why she would be brought back to Philadelphia.If not immediately, then soon, Faith would finally be able to directly address the killer who was taunting her.

She smiled at Turk.“Change of plans, Turk.Cousin Eddie’s party will have to wait a little longer.We’re going back home.

“And when we get there, we’re going to catch another bad guy.”

EPILOGUE

Lillian sat bolt upright, hands folded primly in her lap, eyes wide, lips pressed in a thin line.She was naturally pale, but what little color she possessed had drained entirely from her face as she watched the tv.

“The most sensational trial in the nation has gained a salacious new twist,”the anchor—who looked more plastic than person to Lillian—informed her audience.“Dr.Franklin West—the alleged Copycat Killer who most believe has surpassed his inspiration, the infamous Donkey Killer, Jethro Trammell—has long been a subject of fascination for people, but for some, he’s the subject of a very different kind of fascination.

“Sources in the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office have told Channel Eleven that a number of women have sentloveletters to the alleged killer.Some of these letters include macabre promises to murder people in West’s name.A few even go into detail of how they would plan to murder others to honor West’s legacy.Several of them specifically name famed FBI Special Agent Faith Bold as a target.As many of you know, Faith Bold’s efforts contributed significantly to the identification and eventual capture of West, and during his trial, it came to light that West had developed an obsession with thefemme fataleAgent Bold.”

Femme fatale?Femmefatale?That cow?She was pretty enough, Lillian supposed, but femme fatale?Come on.She wasn’t at all Frank’s type.Frank wasn’t flirting with her, he was taunting her.He enjoyed hurting her, he didn’t fantasize about her in a romantic way.

“What’s even more shocking is the recent discovery that West has been returning some of these letters, referring to the hybristophiles with terms of endearment and even going so far as to suggest that they might enjoy a romantic relationship when he is freed.”

Lillian gasped.Some color came back to her cheeks to rest in flecks on her forehead and points just above her cheekbones.Frank?Had written themback?

But… he hadn’t written her back.

She listened in shock as the anchor read some of the letters that Frank had written.The language in them was flowery and silly—clearly a private joke on Frank’s part and not to be taken seriously.But still… he hadn’t written Lillian back.

He had to know that she was different.He had to know that she wasn’t like them.She wasn’t just some bored tramp obsessed with death.She was an artist seeking to worship the master.No, even better.She sought to surpass him.He had inspired her to overtake him just as Trammell had inspired Frank.Why would he waste time teasing these whores but not even send her a single letter to tell her that he saw her, that he knew her, that he wanted…

But did he see her?Of course he did.He had to have seen her.They made eye contact.He… she…

She reached for the remote and turned the television off, then folded her hands in her lap again.It was clear now.She had been a very silly girl.Of course, he hadn't seen her.Why would he have seen her?She had tried to seduce him with a dress and makeup and by teasing her hair.She had literally been inspired by the memory of how she lost her virginity.

Frank wasn’t a high school student.He wasn’t some boy that Lillian was trying to use to check a box on the list of “things to do to become an adult.”He was an artist.He didn’t want to see another dolled-up slut.He wanted to see art.

“Oh, I’ll give him art,” she said.“I’ll give him art like he’s never seen.”

She got to her feet and headed to the shower.She felt slimy after watching that news special.

But the slime would wash away.She would fix this.She would show West that there was only one woman worth his attention.It wasn’t those hyper… hubris… whatever they were.It certainly wasn’t that hoity-toity goody-two-shoes definitely-not-femme-fatale Faith Bold.

No, it was her.Lillian Martin.The Messenger Killer.The third Messiah walking in the footsteps of Jethro Trammell and Franklin West.

As the warm water cascaded over her body, she felt herself relax.This was only a minor setback.It wasn’t the end of the world.She would fix it, and when she did, West and everyone else would know the truth.

“He’ll see,” she reassured herself.“They’ll all see.”

She left the shower, toweled off, and ordered a pizza for dinner.She turned the TV on and switched the news off.She'd seen enough of that.She'd rent a movie tonight and decompress.

Then, in the morning, she would find a way to get Faith Bold’s attention.Something big.Something shocking.Something she couldn’t ignore.A message that she would have no choice but to respond to.