Chapter 3
The Rest of the Victims
The 8 cops, Shawn and Gus stood over the corpses.
"4 dead people?" asked Shawn. "How many people is this guy going to kill today?"
Lassiter carefully snatched the note and read.
Oooooh
So close
And yet so far
To bad for you
I've already killed again
Vick looked at Shawn. "Anything in your psychic aura that tells us anything about these victims or their killer?"
Shawn carefully looked around their living room trying to find anything. He noticed side burns on the woman's neck.
Shawn started screaming and frizzing, like he'd just been electrocuted. He held onto his neck.
Everyone in the room looked at Shawn like he was a moron, including Gus.
"Something just electrocuted me. A cattle prod? No. Lighting? No. Ummmm--"
Lassiter jumped in. "I'll bite. A stun gun?"
"Yes! The woman was electrocuted with a stun gun, while in her bathtub filled with water and then was dragged out here."
The Chief looked impressed. "Good work Mr. Spencer. What about the man?"
"He was shot in the mouth," Shawn said without even thinking.
Lassiter looked for their wallets and found them on the couch. "Candy and Dan Munk. They were both 43. Dan works at a bar not far from here.
Shawn looked around and saw thaqt the wife had a headband on, had a good luck charm, and he noticed a huge recent bruise on her arm. "I think she used a bookie to bet." Dan, slightly overweight, he noticed a weight loss journal, and a bunch of books on a shelf. "He's an avid reader."
"What do any of these victims have in common? Anybody? Besides the fact they live close to each other? Mr. Spencer, do you believe this is just a sick twisted psycho who kills people for pleasure?" Chief asked.
"I don't think so. These people were chosen for a reason and I intend to find out."
The next 3 hours were spent investigating. In addition 3 more people were killed. John Smith, a 24 year old African American was found dead at the movie theaters, his face, stabbed with a letter opener. The note was found in his pocket. Jill Dowdry, a beautiful 18 year old college student was standing over the dock in the ocean when someone pushed her into the ocean and then shot her in the eyes. The note was found in her mouth. Helga Underberg, a 64 year old widow, was found hanging by the neck in her home and had her legs were chopped of and below her body. The note was hidden under her severed legs. Shawn didn't notice much when they visited every crime scene and Gus, well, he didn't stay long at any of the crime scenes. Shawn might've joined him, had he not been on the case.
After an hour of not hearing any more gratuitous deaths, they all went to the police station, praying that the killer was done. Shawn looked over the police reports, Gus by his side.
Shawn just shook his head. "But do any of these victims have in common, some were young, some were old or middle aged, 6 whites, 1 black, some were attractive, some were single, 2 married, different sexes, heights, different methods of death. What am I missing here?"
Gus was just as stumped as Shawn. "You're the one that has a photographic memory and hyper-observation. You should know. Maybe they all had something at their houses that was in common."
Shawn had an epiphany. He remembered something about the first 4 victims. "Dude! I think I might have it. Is there a gym somewhere around where the victims lived?"
Gus thought. "I think so. A 24 hour Fitness center on Highland Road."
Shawn rushed to the Chief, Lassiter and Jules to have a psychic episode. Shwan ran in there and kept running at pace. He started singing a song sung by Madonna.
"Mr. Spencer, what are you doing? A killer is on the loose and your acting like an idiot."
"Cheif," Shawn said. "That's an understatement. I am an idiot. Not the case." He started exhaling loudly. "I'm exhausted. I can't breathe. I just finished something."
All 3 of them thought but Jules thought it first. "Exercising?"
"Yes!" Shawn said. Did you find anything about the victims about exercising?"
Lassiter looked through the reports. "Holy Cow. 6 out of the 7 victims had a 24 hour Fitness Membership Card. How'd we miss that?"
"We have to go there now!"
They ran to the cars. Gus had been listening and said, "How'd you do that?"
Shawn said, "The first vicim had a gym membership, the second had exercise equipment, the third was wearing a headband, and the fourth had a weight loss journal. I was jiust guessing about the other 3."
They drove to the 24 hour Fitness.
They walked up to the receptionist. Shawn spoke, "Do you have records of people that were here at a certain time?"
"Yes, but I don't have time, one of our receptionist went missing about 3 days ago."
Shawn happened to notice some red liquid dripping from a locker in the back.
Shawn made a creaking sound, much to the annoyance of well everyone.
He jumped over the counter and rushed to back.
"I think we'll find something in here." He opened the door and a woman's head rolled out. The rest of her body was soaked in blood and a bullet hole found in her chest. He frowned as he said, "I think we're on the right track."