Chapter 2 ~ Dressed to kill
What does a heartbroken Dexter Morgan look like?
Sold out garbage bags and plastic wrap? Lots of missing criminals? Shiny new, sharp butcher knives? And sun burned skin from too many boat trips?
Reminded me of Sirko's bloodlust.
But I didn't look any different than yesterday checking my face in the mirror. Not like Isaak who had 'tired and sad' written across his face. Love had motivated Isaak's need for revenge.
It was the old question.
Feelings. Emotions. Love.
If I could have feelings at all, I'd have them for Deb. That was what I had always thought. You're what makes me real – that was what I told Rita and that I never, ever wanted to miss pizza night – and it was true. My experiences with women, with mentors and companions changed my cover for my Dark Passenger into a real life. (Pinocchio would have been proud of me.) I didn't want to lose it. Not what was left of it: Deb. Harrison. Astor and Cody. Maybe even Isaak, my new friend.
I could hardly think about something else that day, only the hunt for the phantom distracted me... until Jamie called.
"Hey... Dexter, there's a man in your kitchen. He's wearing one of your old t-shirts I think. He says you know him." Jamie sounded like she eyed Isaak suspiciously before she turned her back to him and added quieter: "He shocked the hell out of me, Dex!"
Shit, I totally forgot that Jamie and Harrison would be back today. I had left Isaak a note and pain killers as I went to work.
"Uhm, yes, I forgot to tell you. That's Isaak." I tried to sound contrite. Lies always passed my lips easily. The only problem was next to me at Miami Metro: Debra who knew the whole truth. She stared at me and mouthed: Isaak like in Isaak Sirko?
You can't have any secrets from her these days...
"He arrived early this morning. They lost his suitcase at the airport. I've told him he could sleep in my bed for now."
"You really should have told me," Jamie said seriously. She was angry. Damn. She was the goddamn best babysitter I ever had covering my late night sessions. And most important: Jamie didn't ask dangerous questions about "my crazy hours".
"I'm sorry. I'll put it right."
"Isaak's doing it already. He is cooking for us. If you're fast, we'll maybe leave you something." Luckily she didn't know he was a professional killer and ex-mobster. She believed me and Isaak's charm I'd say – she was pissed at me, not Isaak.
As soon as I cut my cell Debra yelled at me. "Isaak? The Ukrainian mobster is at your apartment? What the hell? You're buddies with the fucking Terminator? Is the world about to end? Have the machines taken over?"
"Calm down, Deb. Things have changed. The Koshka Brotherhood wants him dead and Isaak needed a place to stay."
I could see her raising her eyebrows the way I had gotten used to since she had discover my secret. "Didn't he want you dead?"
"I told you, we have an agreement."
"And didn't you want to kill him?" Deb tilted her head ironically, her hands pressed to her hips. "Hannah's dead because of him. Sirko kidnapped her if you've forgotten already!"
"We're sort of... even." The answer came out of nowhere. Debra looked at me questioning but I wouldn't tell her about Viktor. She knew too much – the less she was involved the better.
Jamie, Harrison and Isaak were eating when I came home. Isaak was supposed to end up on my table. But not like this. Waering my baggy, worn t-shirt he really looked like he had made himself at home.
The moment l sat my bag down, Isaak got up and went over to the kitchen.
"I'm sorry but I needed something fresh." He put a hand on the shirt. Too casual for Sirko with his fine trousers and shoes. It didn't fit.
"You didn't use my good butcher knives, did you?," I asked playfully. Isaak was in a surprisingly good mood.
"I prefer guns over knives."
"To prepare a meal?"
The corners of his mouth lifted amused. "We've kept something warm for you." Isaak opened the stove. It smelled awesome. "Sit down."
"You really should have told about your friend, Dex." Jamie managed to make me feel a little guilty. Bringing a killer for diner wasn't usually my cup of tea. Well, not since I started dating Hannah. Okay, Lumen had been my tenant. And I had some dinners with Miguel. "Don't withhold such gentleman who can cook this fabulous too in the future!," she continued. "Even Harrison likes it and he's very picky sometimes." Jamie smiled at Isaak who smiled back at her.
After Jamie had left and Harrison slept in his bed, Isaak and I sat down on the couch. Our knees almost touched. He found the last and only Scotch in my kitchen and allowed himself a drink despite the pain killers. I stayed with my beer from dinner.
Isaak talked about getting his hands dirty, about killing George. "You don't mind me staying another night? I'll book a hotel, a holiday flat or something. I just couldn't organize anything, I overslept the day." He shook his head like he couldn't believe how tired he had been.
"No," I said a bit too fast, "Stay. I'll spend the night next door with Harrison."
I enjoyed his company. His advice, the advice of a man almost dying for love and revenge left me wondering. After so long in the dark with my Dark Passenger I felt uncomfortable bringing him out in the open. Yet, I longed for it to happen. I only could ever tell the truth to the murderers on my table. My secret was safe with them. I didn't have to worry. I was in control. Part of me was addicted to the killings because of these honest moments.
Isaak told me that we were connected. There was no need to hide, to hold back. I put myself on the table if I was honest like this. Strange. A new feeling. Shocking.
"Why did you let me off the hook?" I asked.
"I could ask you the same thing." Isaak looked directly at me, his tongue tasting the rest of alcohol on his lips.
"Why?"
"Honor between killers." He smiled weakly.
"I killed him." I didn't use his name on purpose.
Isaak lifted his shoulders, breathing in and let them fall, breathing out. "It wouldn't change anything. He still would be dead," he finally answered. "Maybe I've found something I wasn't looking for. You know what, Dex?" He leaned forward and touched my knee with one hand. "I'd seriously like to go drinking with you. I want to get hammered, bond over revenge plans and listen to an opera until the last act with you."
He stood up and went for another drink.
"We've made a good start – with the exception of opera."
Isaak turned around, his glass filled. "What about you?"
He still fit my code. Like every other killer I let walk. Like Hannah. How could I go from almost murdering her to having sex with her? Sooner or later most of them ended on my table. My Dark Passenger always led the way.
Isaak sat down again. "Do you want to kill me? Because of Hannah? Because the animal still wants me dead?" He was waiting for an answer and continued as nothing came. "I'm responsible for Hannah's death. Kill me now if you need to." He opened his arms.
You should add you feel responsible for Viktor's death too, I thought. Killing Arthur Mitchell aka Trinity didn't bring back Rita as it would not bring back Viktor if Isaak killed me. Viktor was a killer; Rita was an innocent victim and still we felt the same.
"You're here. I remember what you said at the gay bar."
"Yes..."
"After you left someone hit on me," I joked to change the topic. I wasn't used to letting my inner voice be my outer voice and speaking so bluntly.
"Better than having no one hit on you...," Isaak responded pleased. "You don't have a gun, do you?"
Hannah's van was parked on the other side of the street, near the Foxhole. We made a stop for Isaak to get some of his stuff and guns out from Viktor's apartment.
Dressed to kill in his fresh pink shirt Isaak went through a side entrance of the Foxhole. (And that guy made fun of my army green Henley shirt and my gloves. Everyone has his own killer outfit.) I followed shortly after him. Working together with someone else made me think of Lumen. Isaak didn't need my help with George but I owned him that. We heard two voices arguing from George's office, one was definitely George and the other one was... Quinn.
I told Isaak to wait at the hall and play backup. The Ukrainian left the door ajar. The moment he walked in two guns were pointing at him.
"Gentlemen, that will get you nowhere," Isaak said. His voice was prudent and calm. "Nadezhda, it's a pleasure to meet you again. Please take your friend with you. This is between me and George."
Nadia was holding Quinn's arm. She tried to keep him from killing George.
"Not without Nadia's fucking passport," Quinn pointed out aggressively.
Isaak gave Nadia the code to the safe. "She's a free woman. Don't fuck with her, twiggy. Now," he waved with his gun, "I'd like to skinny ass from behind. You haven't seen me!" The plan was to fake evidence to make it look like a Colombian act of vengeance but Quinn's and Nadia's presence torpedoed it.
I never liked or cared about Quinn, not even when he was with my sister. He took the easy way out if possible. Just as he did now. Quinn backed out holding hands with Nadia. Isaak seemed to like to set people up. From Terminator to Armor. The door had barely closed behind them as George fired his first shot. Isaak saw it coming and showed his magnificence once again.
The bullet caught George's shoulder and threw him to the ground. Isaak kicked his gun away and looked down on him. I was sure he could have killed George without a weapon on board the ship. He had killed Tony Rush with a screwdriver rammed into his right eye.
Isaak wanted to die, but I had changed his mind.
Somehow.
There were screams from the strip club. Someone would surely call the police.
"George, you disappointed me. Twice." Isaak gave a fale smile. "I had to send Viktor to do your job, you little cunt. You should have been dead instead of him!" That was the moment his voice turned from calm to vicious. He pressed his shoe down on George's hurt shoulder to torture him. "You can't even kill me. Did you think I would bleed to death? Ridiculous!"
The second shot finally killed George.
"Come on, let's go!" I whispered to Isaak. We left without being noticed by Batista and Quinn who entered George's office from the strip club.
Isaak collapsed into the passenger seat. The adrenaline was blown out. "I need espresso."