A SHADOW THAT KILLS, Sam Madison had positioned himself just behind his victim's driver's seat. He snuggled amongst old newspapers and crime books. The wait was beginning to grate on his nerves and the position he was in was starting to hurt his back. "She is such a clutter horde", thought Sam. The rain gently spattered the windshield like a blood spatter in slow motion. The night was muggy, hot, and humid for San Diego, California. The whisper of the wind sent chills down his spine. He was excited and manic. Sam Madison eyed his victim, his prize, and what a beautiful prize she was.
The lights from across the street were momentarily reflected as Julie kicked the front door open, struggling not to drop all of her books. She couldn't help but wonder where all the men were when she needed them. She exited the Federal Building into the balmy night and made her way towards her car. But before she could truly embrace her freedom, Steven Hinkley, a snub-nosed-male-pig, also known as her boss, intercepted her.
"Julie, I just wanted to let you know that tonight I became a true fan of your work. That report you gave was truly insightful and thoroughly profound." Hinkley gave Julie no choice but to act, as he extended his hand for her to shake.
"Thanks," Julie nodded as she shook his hand.
Julie was armed with a firm grip and a cautious charisma that made her irresistible to men. In her experience it was better to be on the giving end of the relationship, than on the receiving end of it. Most men were pigs, and Steve was no different.
"I can't wait for your next lecture. Tell me, what it is about" Steve was polite and harmless as he spoke, but his eyes never wandered from hers.
"Nope, I cannot. If I told you I'd have to kill you and we both know that that is against the law." Julie's attempt at humor almost made her gag. She thought it was revolting. She looked at him for a long second, waiting on his response. He almost made her uncomfortable by his stare.
"Did she make him nervous?" If he thought for one moment that she was after his job, he was grossly misinformed.
Steve smiled. "Well, keep your secrets then, Julie. I'll be looking forward to next week and as always, a very good job."
She said nothing back for a moment. He had caught her off guard. Was this some kind of game?
"Thanks, Steve, just another day at the office," she said with a smile. "Now if you are going to stand there"
"Oh shit, let me help you." Steve grabbed a few of her books and walked her to her car.
"Thanks Steve, they'll be fine right there on the hood."
"Good night, Julie." With that, Hinkley turned and headed east towards the parking garage on the corner of First and Fifth. Relief swept over Julie as she wiped the sweat from her brow. She half thought that he might ask her to dinner, which would have just been awkward.
Meanwhile Sam was growing increasingly impatient as he watched the two interact. "Imposter, Sam thought. Maybe I should kill both of them." Much to his relief, however, the imposter decided to walk away. Sam would not have to murder two people tonight. Not that two murders were a problem for him, no, not by any stretch of the imagination, it was just that he had something very special planned for Julie Messer and he would hate to revise his plans this late in the game.
Unknowingly, Julie popped her trunk and threw her brief case into the car. Another night was finally over, and she craved a drink that would calm both her nerves and her thoughts. Some days her work at the FBI was too exhausting. Any day that she had to look two child murderers in the eye and analyze them was a rough day, especially when they each expressed no remorse for their crimes. Where did these children come from? Were they even human? Sometimes she doubted it.
In her experience, child murderers were not unlike adult murderers. They were still capable of inflicting immeasurable pain on their victims and although she had talked with many child murderers in her career at the FBI, the two that were behind bars tonight were sociopaths that were responsible for some heinous atrocities that she would not have wished on her worst enemy.
She stood outside her driver's side door, taking it all in and not minding the gentle drizzle of the night. Julie lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply. As the nicotine rushed through her body she could feel a lightheaded sense of calm. Days like this one made her not want to have children, ever.
"Dammit, woman" Sam could hardly contain himself as he waited for her to finish her smoke. "Don't you know that cigarettes will kill you?" He smiled to himself at this sentiment, "No not cigarettes, bitch, me, your worst nightmare.".
Just as he had thought this Julie, opened her car door, shook the rain from her coat and took a seat behind the wheel of her 99 Toyota Highlander. She threw her cell phone along with all of her other junk to the passenger seat and vowed not to pick it up, or look at it again tonight. Then she put the car in reverse and backed out of her coveted spot in front of the Federal Building.
Sam just happened to be in the process of re-adjusting himself when she entered. He really needed to stretch out the cramp that he had worked into his lower back and if he could have stood the pain he would have waited, but the pain was too much, especially if her were going to be in control of himself tonight. While he was stretching the back of his hand came down and struck the middle console of Julie's SUV. "Damn it! He thought, had she heard?"
The sudden noise in the back of her car made her jump. She wandered what that noise could have been. It was too loud to have come from outside of the car, which would have made her much more comfortable. There had to be someone or something in her car, she thought, as alert fear washed over her. Slowly, she attempted to pick up the service revolver that lay in front of her seat. Brushing her hand in front of the seat she could feel the butt end of her weapon but could not get a grip without looking too obvious.
Sam watched her astonished at her nerve.
"Oh no, she did not Sam thought! Did she really think that could prevent him from doing what he came here to do? Was she that naive? Sam was suddenly very angry that her first response had been to reach for her gun. He would show her!
Ok, then bitch, we will just have to start our game early. That's ok, I am ready to play."
"Is someone there?" Julie called out to the blackness. In the distance a flashing light reflected in her mirror and a red liquor sign blinked on and off to the rhythm of the city. Her eyes were fixated on the darkness behind her but she could see nothing. The fact that she could not see, however, did not prevent her from sensing the danger and evil that was in her presence. As the silent thoughts rushed through her mind, a sharp jab in her side caused her to grimace with pain. What the hell, Julie thought, as she touched her right side, just underneath her ribcage. Was that blood?
"Don't even thinking about picking up your gun," he shouted. Sam's agitated voice caused her to jump and she slammed her knee into the steering column. The fact that he was scaring her made her angry. She was supposed to be a god damn FBI agent. FBI agents were supposed to know how to protect themselves, and prevent these things from happening. FBI agents were supposed to be the hunters, not the hunted.
"Who, who is that? What do you want and why the hell are you in my car?"
Her voice was firm but her fear was palpable, thought Sam. He could smell it, feel it, and he took a moment to breathe it all in. Fear was his drug of choice, and this was just the way he liked his games, chalked full of fear.
Sam smiled to himself as he thought of her question and chuckled while he contemplated his answer. In his calm, collected, and even cordial tone, he replied, "I want to play a game. Put the car in drive and head north."
Julie did as she was told. She could still feel the sharp metal against her skin, and she could tell that she had already started bleeding. Her instincts told her to run, to fight, and to kill the bastard that was holding her captive. Yet years of law enforcement training had taught her that if she valued her life at all, she would do as he commanded. Placing her foot on the gas Julie pulled away from the safety of the Federal Building and into the blackness of the night.
The two headed north into the California hills where endless rains had recently pounded the earth and caused runoff to cover the roads for miles. Julie drove for about an hour, turning when he said turn, first a left and then a right. The road she was traveling had
steep dark sides that slid off into the rocky California coast and was as curvy as a rattlesnake's tail. The ocean's sentiment could be sensed as it angrily pounded against the rocks, held there so cleverly, but that every once in a while, decided to let loose and plunge into the dark waters beneath them.
When he told her to, she stopped. "Now what?" Julie spoke firmly, hiding the fear that resonated deep within her gut. Stretching in front of her for miles were endless mountains and dense forests. To her sides were steep cliffs and down below roared the angry waves of the ocean, almost as angry as she was. No one would be able to hear her screams. She would just disappear. Was that possible? She knew it was.
This was just the way it should be, thought Sam as he jumped into the passenger seat beside Julie. For a moment he just looked at her; she was clammy and shivery.
"I thought you were one of those tough girls," Sam said in an effort to get her to show her anger.
Anger was what he fed off of, what he needed to see in her. He wanted to see the rage in her eyes, feel the fear in her quivering lips and shaking legs. Fear made him strong, and Sam was strong.