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He allowed himself to kill once a year. Every summer. He was surprised he’d felt the urge to strangle Bryn since he’d killed only two nights ago.
His thoughts turned to the paper lying on his desk. He couldn’t wait to see what it said.
He’d made the front page, just as he’d hoped. He pulled his chair into his desk and unfolded the paper.
SECOND SEATTLE TEACHER STRANGLED IN HOME IN TWELVE MONTHS
A wave of satisfaction rolled through him as he read through the article.
Detectives fear there could be a serial murderer, The Teacher Killer, at large in Seattle.
John read on, wishing his father could see him now. He’d be so proud. John sighed. He was the only person he could’ve shared this with.
A knock on his office door made John look up. The door swung open. Simon, his partner, poked his head through the doorway.
“We still on for our hunting trip this October?”
“I’m planning on it.”
“Great. I’ll book the lodge.” Simon gestured to the paper on John’s desk. “You read that article? Could be a serial killer. From the sounds of it, he’s a smart one too.” He cracked a grin. “If he gets caught, maybe we’ll get to defend him. Could be great for the firm.”
John sat back in the leather chair. He’d known Simon had a cunning, greedy side to him before they’d formed the law firm, which was exactly what John needed in a law partner. Simon was hungry for money, notoriety, and power—a weakness John could leverage if he ever needed to.
“Anyway,” Simon added. “You all set for our court hearing at nine?”
John checked his Rolex. “Yep, I’ll be ready.”
“Great.”
John waited for Simon to shut the door before returning his attention to the article. He enjoyed it—until he got to the end. It stated that Detective Tanner Mulholland was the lead investigator. John’s leg jiggled beneath the desk. That was a worry. As a defense attorney, John had seen Mulholland in action both in the courtroom and out. He was the most relentless, dedicated, and sharp investigator John had ever encountered.
There was something about Mulholland’s tenacity, and him always chewing gum, that reminded John of Holly Sparks. And he didn’t like it.
The article concluded with a speculation about the profile of the killer.Criminal profilers believe the Teacher Killer islikely a single, professional male, aged thirty to fifty. There is a strong probability he has killed before.
Surprisingly accurate,John thought.Although that’s not a lot to go on.
John reflected on his first kill, although it was so wild and unplanned that he usually thought of the young woman in Fairbanks as the one who started it all. But if he were honest with himself, she wasn’t.
When he’d gotten out of bed after hearing his parents arguing, he’d come into their bedroom and heard his mother shout from their balcony that she was leaving his dad and taking John with her. His father told her there was no way he would let that happen and stormed inside. John hid behind a door as his father left the room. When John emerged from his hiding spot, his mom was outside, crying while leaning over the balcony.
He couldn’t let her take him away from his dad.How could she do that?he’d wondered. He went outside to convince her to stay. When she heard the balcony door open, she told him to stay the hell away from her. Taken aback by the nastiness in her tone, he realized that she thought he was his father.How could she speak to him like that?John’s belly burned like a firecracker about to pop. It rushed up his chest, squeezing his throat, making his face hot. His fists clenched as if he were a volcano ready to explode.
What happened next was unplanned, and a blur in his memory. He’d rushed toward his mother and lifted her legs in a moment of fury. When he’d let go, she’d toppled over the side. He wasn’t sure how long he’d stood frozen, staring at her crumpled body on the concrete, but then his dad appeared at his side. If he’d been horrified—or angry—his father hadn’t shown it. Instead, he’d placed a hand on John’s back.
Go back to bed, son. I’ll handle this.
John forced the memory from his mind and turned the page of theTribune.Still, he found himself unable to concentrate on the rest of the news knowing that Mulholland would be spendingevery waking moment trying to hunt him down. Again, his father’s words popped into his mind.
Cops will be less apt to suspect you if you have a wife.A family man.
John skimmed the articles, including one about the Green River Killer, Gary Ridgway, who was being returned to Washington state prison from Colorado, and turned the page. A headline at the top caught his eye.
STARTING FRESH: Sequim dentist opens new Seattle practice after husband’s suicide.
Beneath it was a headshot of a smiling, beautiful blond woman wearing a white lab coat.
Intrigued, John took a drink from his coffee and began to read.