Chapter 14: Hunger Lust
Max paced the length of the shop as the day light began to fade around him. He had been working all day and by this time he was counting down the minutes until his boring day could be over. The shop wasn't usually a busy, bustling location by day and usually picked up in the evening, but his shift had him in to clean and restock the shelves with new arrivals and now that that was finished he was ready to just get out. He watched as his pompous, over zealous boss schmoozed with some of his regulars and waited patiently for the clock to tick down and release him into the world.
Mulder walked in, Scully at his side, and was greeted immediately by the owner of the shop. He dropped everything he was doing and walked right over to Mulder.
"Don't normally see you in here Spooky, at least not by daylight," the man chuckled, "or with anyone."
"Not here for pleasure, Jim, I'm working right now," Mulder said as Scully flashed the man her badge.
"You come here often Mulder?" Scully asked, "all those tapes that 'aren't yours' I'm guessing belong to your friend 'Jim'" she added sarcastically.
"No idea what you are talking about," Mulder mumbled.
"What can I do for you fine governmental servants," Jim asked with a smile. "I'm completely licensed and legit here so I don't have anything to hide."
"Good to hear, sir, but we are actually looking for someone." Scully stated as she turned and her eyes caught the man behind the counter.
She nudged Mulder and motioned toward the young man.
"We need to talk to your employee, Jim, is that going to be a problem?" Mulder asked.
"Not at all, his shifts almost over," Jim stated and then turning he addressed the young man. "Hey Max, my friends here need a word with you."
Max for a moment hesitated and then came out from behind the counter. He stared at the floor as he walked and Scully could sense the guilt coming off him.
"This is Agent Mulder and Agent Scully, they're with the FBI," Jim stated as the young man reached out and shook the agent's hands and jumped as he took hold of Scully. There was something very special about her.
"Can we ask you a few questions?" Mulder asked watching the young man carefully as he now stared at Scully.
"Yeah," Max answered.
"Take it in the back," Jim stated as another one of his regulars walked in the door.
Max lead Mulder and Scully into the stock room, his heart was racing and his thought were drawing pictures of the perfect woman who stood beside him. Scully had that something he always looked for. Her hands told him so. The sting and the aroma of the precious metals that she had been in contact with caused him to over flow with hunger, but who was this guy with her?
Once in the back Max fell into an old sofa and looked up at the agents, but didn't speak. He only stared.
"Do you do all of the financial dealings for this shop?" Scully asked looking at the man now and breaking the uneasy silence.
"Yeah," he answered.
"Do you know about the trouble that has been going on there?" Mulder asked.
"Yeah," he answered.
"We have footage of you with the victim's car; can you tell us why you're on our video tapes?" Scully asked.
"That's my apartment," Max stated as he looked at the picture.
"So it's a coincidence that the victim's car is in this picture?" Scully asked unconvinced.
"Yeah," Max answered starting at her and never changing his expression.
"Then how come you are on this different tape, in with another victim's car?" Mulder asked handing Max another picture.
"I don't know," Max stated.
"What were you doing two nights ago?" Scully asked.
"Sleeping," Max stated.
"Can anyone verify that you were at your apartment?" she asked.
"Doubt it," Max answered.
"We can," Mulder stated and Scully pulled a swab and its case out of her pocket.
"Am I under arrest?" Max asked.
"Not right now," Mulder stated, "but if you don't cooperate with us and give Agent Scully the sample she needs, we can have you arrested."
"Fine," Max said and opened his mouth.
Scully swabbed the inside of Max's mouth, feeling more and more uncomfortable the longer she stood near him. When the swab was safely labeled and pocket, Scully stepped back beside her partner and began flipping through the file.
"I suggest you hang tight for a couple of day," Mulder say, "just until we can clear you as a suspect."
"A suspect in what?" Max asked rolling his eyes.
"You are a suspect in our current case; in the murders of Leslie Shwepp and Emily Clarke." Scully stated.
"Who the hell are they?" Max laughed.
"A bank teller and a refinery worker," Mulder stated and watched the young man carefully.
"What the hell is a refinery?" Max asked. "Dude, I work in a sex shop. Unless you are talking about perverts and whores, I don't know what the fuck you are talking about. I only know the bank tellers cause I go there like every day."
"Well we'll soon be able to tell you if you are lying or not," Mulder smirked.
"Whatever," Max hissed and went back to staring at Scully.
Scully felt a chill run up her back as Mulder turned to look at her, "are we done here?" he asked.
"Yeah," she nodded and they walked back through the shop and out to their waiting vehicle.
Max watched them leave, knowing full well that he had flat out lied to the FBI, but he wasn't worried, he was too hungry for his next perfect lady, one Agent Scully.