The Dark Places by R. Whitfield (novel24 TXT) 📕

wasn’t easy.” With that, Surin and Parker left the room, closing the door behind them. Miller was waiting patiently on the chair and stood as they came out.

“We’re done, Miller,” Parker said. “No one goes in or out without proper authority, OK?”

“Yes, sir,” Miller replied.

They turned and walked down the hall and out the front doors. Surin stopped as soon as they were clear of the building and took a deep breath of crisp air.

“It’s him,” she said, looking at Parker.

“Yes, I think you’re right,” he added. “That could have been any one of the girls. She looked identical to them,” he said, tucking his hair behind his ear.

“I don’t understand what went wrong,” Surin said frustrated and kicked an invisible rock on the road.

“‘A liar and a fake,’” Parker repeated what Lana had told them. “‘A fake.’” He chewed the end of his pen. “Interesting choice of words,” he continued. Surin watched him as he flicked through his notebook, re-reading what else was said. “What could she possibly fake that would make him so enraged?” he asked. “Enough to let her go, to forgo his ritual and his release, maybe even risk getting caught?”

Surin scratched her head. “Something about her didn’t fit the fantasy,” she said, and instantly looked up at Parker. “Rhodes, we need to see that car.”

***

The police impound wasn’t far from the hospital. Surin drove quickly and parked out front on the street. Flashing their badges at the uniform on the gate, they strode out the back, straight towards Lana’s car.

“De-tectives,” said a burly man who was ambling over to them with a large grin, pulling up his pants as he walked.

“McNicol,” Surin replied with a smirk. “Is this where they’ve been hiding you?”

“I like it down here. I don’t have to deal with snotty-nosed rookies.” He snorted. Surin laughed aloud and slapped him affectionately on his back.

“Parker Rhodes, this is McNicol.” They shook hands. “McNicol used to ride with my dad back in the day.” Parker nodded.

“So, you’re the poor bastard partnered up with this firecracker,” McNicol joked.

“That I am,” Parker replied with a 1000-watt smile. Surin punched him hard on the arm.

“So, what brings you down here,” McNicol asked, “and at this time of night?”

Surin looked down at her watch. She hadn’t realised how late it was. They had been at the hospital for hours, and the day had gotten away from them. Instantly, fatigue settled into her limbs.

“We need into Lana Beau’s car.”

McNicol held up his hand with a smile and rattled a set of keys like a tambourine. “Thought you might,” he added with a grin.

They walked over to the vehicle together, Parker and Surin both snapping on a pair of gloves, McNicol opened the doors.

“Central locking?” Parker asked, lifting the handle to the passenger side door.

“No,” McNicol stated. “It’s faulty, so it seems the front passenger door is the only door that isn’t connected to central locking and doesn’t open or lock when the button is pressed, it appears to be on its own.”

Surin sat in the driver’s seat for a moment. “According to the report, he got in through the front passenger door, so he knew it was faulty?” she said, mainly to herself.

“Maybe,” Parker replied. “The rear-view mirror is down here,” he said, bending his big frame down to retrieve it off the floor.

“I don’t get it,” Surin said, exasperated. “He kills these women, why would he care if they see his face?” She hit the steering wheel with both hands, harder than intended.

“He’s careful,” Parker answered, ignoring her little outburst. “So much in fact, that he takes precautions even if they aren’t needed.”

Surin ran her fingers along the dashboard, collecting dust. “He has an extraordinary level of control,” she said, shaking her head. “I’ve never encountered anything like it.” With that, she got out of the front, opened the rear door and slid in.

“Miss Beau likes her Diet Coke,” she said casually. “There has to be ten empty cans back here, all stacked to one side.” She threw some aside and felt down behind the seats for anything.

“He must have moved them otherwise she would have heard him rustling around back there,” Parker added.

“Yeah,” Surin mumbled quietly. She picked through a few other shopping bags until she found what she was looking for.

“Parker,” she said, with an edge to her voice. He turned around quickly to face her. “I think this is why Lana Beau is still alive.”

He moved his eyes from her face to the pack of dark brown hair dye she was holding up in her hand.

“A fake,” he said out loud. Lana Beau was a blonde.

20

Parker dropped Surin at her front door. It was late.

“We did well today,” he said after turning off the engine. “We have a real insight into this guy now,” he added, “the look, the hair, everything.” He shifted in the seat to face her. “It’s so important to him that he risked getting caught rather than ruin his fantasy.” Surin sat, not moving, staring out the window.

“It’s more than ‘a type’,” she said quietly, “it’s a person.” She turned and looked at Parker. He immediately noticed the large black shadows that had formed under her eyes. “Not some crazy fantasy, I think he is trying to reanimate an actual person.” Parker sat back, studying her.

“He knew her,” he added, nodding.

“Or thinks he did,” she replied. “Either way, that woman is the key.” She ran her fingers through her hair and sighed, “And we have no fucking idea who she is.” Parker was worried, he hadn’t seen Surin this deflated in all the time he had known her, she definitely wasn’t herself.

“Surin, when was the last time you slept?” he asked gently. She looked at him, unwanted tears welling