Deadly Abandon by Kallie Lane Read Free Book Online Page B

Why is she the one? Sully, those are questions profilers have asked for years. Sadly, it can amount to very simple things. For example, it could be the color of her hair, the clothes she wears, or maybe he just has easy access to her. He stalks her for days—sometimes months—before he attacks her, because it’s all part of the thrill for him, part of his fantasy.
    “He learns everything there is to know about her, goes inside her home, touches her belongings, and may fondle himself in her bed. He plans several escape routes. And when he tires of hunting her, he moves in for the kill. He probably also keeps souvenirs of each victim to help him relive his sexual highs.”
    “Is there anything else you can tell me?”
    “A geographic profiler will tell you he usually kills near where he lives. It’s his comfort zone and he won’t stray too far out of his territory, which should make him easier to find. By the way, if these killings started thirteen years ago, you’re searching for a male in his mid-thirties to early forties now. I think he’s Caucasian, the same as his victims. He is also probably quiet and very ordinary in his private life, because he won’t bring unwanted attention to himself. This is why he’s been so successful, because he blends in so well. And he is highly organized. Otherwise, he would have been caught years ago.”
    Sully heard her suck in her breath over the line. “Watch your back, bro. You get in the guy’s way and he will come after you with both barrels. He may enjoy the sudden recognition of his talents, but he doesn’t want to be stopped. He’s been getting away with murder for a lot of years and now he’s escalating, judging from the short timeframe between Dubé’s and possibly Greene’s murders.”
    “Yes,” he acknowledged, “The unsolved cases seem to be spaced much farther apart. Unless he’s committed other atrocities in between we don’t even know about.”
    “It’s possible. And if there is a serial killer operating in your area, he’s worked undetected under the noses of the Mallard Bay police force for a lot of years.”
    “Yeah, which surprises me,” Sully admitted. “You’d think someone would have clued in.”
    “Honestly, it doesn’t surprise me at all,” Joelle said. “Forensic techniques and DNA collection were still in their infancy when these killings began, not to mention police databases weren’t around to share information. This killer’s smart—smart enough to kill in the boonies where local police had jurisdiction. None of these cases were ever brought to Montreal Homicide, were they?”
    “No. Most of them appeared to be accidents, at least on the surface.”
    “See what I mean?” Joelle’s fingernails tap, tap, tapped on her headset through the line and caused him to wince. “He can’t stop now, Sully, even if he knows you’re on to him. And he won’t want you hunting him down and depriving him of his fantasies. He places absolutely no value on human life.”
    In other words, he is one sick son of a bitch . “Thanks, kid. I appreciate the heads up.”
    “Yes, well, be careful. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
    “Same goes. By the way, I’ve been reading your books. You won’t believe it, but I actually caught a guy who faked his own death by following the plot of your first novel.”
    His sister’s voice rippled with laughter. “I never thought I’d see the day you would actually read my stuff, let alone learn anything from it. Then again, a lot of what I write is loosely based on actual case files I studied while with the RCMP.”
    “Oh, I’m learning a lot, kid. Maybe we can talk about it when you come home for a visit? I love you, and I’m just starting to figure out what makes you tick. Take care of you, little sister.”
    “You take care of you. Sully? I love you too.”
    “I know, kid. I know.” He sighed as she hung up; praying to God she would stay safe and come back home so they could work on