Chapter 1 - Game On

Simon has issued an open challenge to the Police; Try to stop me.

“Jack and Coke and keep ‘em coming, it has been a hell of a long night.” Says the young man as dusts off the barstool and sits down. The bartender wipes off a few glasses, “Got I.D., bud?” The young man shakes his head, stands up, and walks out. 

 

“Yes sir, just received the call. Audy and Kahn-Lee are on the way to the scene right now," says Captain Edmons as he signals for Detectives Cruz and Moore to come into his office. 

“Definitely, sir. I understand.” Captain Edmons lets out a loud sigh as he runs his hand through his graying hair, "yes, the next time we talk I will know something…yes, sir…I will have to talk to my detectives. I’ll let you know as soon as we find something.”

Edmons finally turns off the iPad, opens a desk drawer, carelessly tosses it in, sinks back into his plush leather chair and loosens his tie. “Thanks to f*****g FaceTime he gets to see me sweat now.” 

“Sounds like the Chief is pretty pissed.” Says Cruz as he takes a sip of his coffee.

“Nevermind that," Captain Edmons spins his chair around and looks out the window, "any lead on the serial rapist case?”

Detective Moore pulls out her notepad, “Took a lot of digging, and found a bunch of f*****g garbage along the way, but we got him. Pulled the perp in last night. He has been positively identified by all four of the victims.  Caught the scumbag walking his dog.”

Captain Edmons starts laughing, “What kind of dog was it?” 

Moore flips through her notepad, “Cane Corso happily residing in a no kill shelter. Not his fault his Human is a piece of f*****g trash."

Edmons nods in agreement, opens the desk drawer and slides a file to Cruz. “Take that to Lorry for me." The Captain sits back down, "OK, are we sure these charges will stick?"

 Before they can answer, Edmons starts again,

 “I’ll send Lorry over there, make sure this f*****g prick rots. I want you two to be available to assist Kahn-Lee and Audy with this murder in North Dallas. Apparently some high profile department donors live in that neighborhood and they are not happy. Chief wants us to put some pressure on this one.”

“Tell me everything one more time. I just want to ensure I have all the correct information.” Says Detective Kahn-Lee as she interviews an upset, but cooperative, next door neighbor.

 “Well Detective, like I said, I noticed their dog was outside for much longer than usual, three days. So I decided to see what was going on. I knocked on the door and no one answered, so I opened it…”

Kahn-Lee stops him, “The door was open?"

The neighbor nods his head, “When I opened the door, the smell. I learned that smell in Vietnam. I knew Hanna and Justin were dead. 

 

“The Dallas Cowboys are one team that just knows how to get it done! Sure, their corners might create a new category for yards allo…” Simon switches off the radio and stares at the ’68 Camaro in sweet anticipation. “Everything according to plan. Everything.” Simon says aloud as he looks into his backseat then at the front door of the Rustin’s Dallas home. 

 

Show time.

 Within a minute of the Camaro pulling out of the driveway Simon is at the door, tools in hand. The door pops open with a twist of the knob and suddenly Simon's heart begins to race. Already intoxicating. Already worth it. Already permanently changed by the thrill of the hunt.  

Simon neatly places his BOD-D bag against the wall to the right of the door and smiles as the zipper slowly rasps revealing the contents of the Bag of Deathly Delights; duct tape, baklava blackout mask, gloves, zip ties, Glock 15, chloroform, garrote wire, and of course, space for dark souvenirs. 

Simon slips on the baklava mask, puts on the gloves, pockets the garrote wire, and holsters the Glock 15.

Ready. 

6 hours behind the door. Same drive to kill. 

8 hours behind the door. Same drive to kill.

3A.M. the door opens followed by two intoxicated voices, "At least let me hold your hair, Hanna baby."

The space created by the open door hid him well, they had no idea. Drunkenly they sway back and forth dancing, humming a mix of their favorite songs from the 311 concert. 

His body just sprang into action. As if he was meant to be doing this to these exact people at this exact time. 

Exact.

He explodes from behind the door and trains his Glock on both of them, "Tie her up. Make a sound and I'll pistol whip her to death." 

Justin doesn't say a word as Simon tosses the duct tape, letting it hit him in the chest and fall to the floor. Simon grabs Hanna by the hair and hits her twice with the butt of the gun, breaking her nose, swelling her eye, then pushes her into Justin, "Last warning. Tie her up or watch me beat her to death with 4 holes in your knees." 

Power. Control. This is it.

Justin doesn't say anything as he slowly bounds Hanna, her soft sobs muffled by the wrapping of the tape. "Just tell me where all the money and jewelry are. I get that and everything is fine." Simon watches as the couple share a hopeful glance. 

Excited by their false sense of safety, a smile creeps across Simon's face,

 "That's all I have come here for. Hurry and bound her then sit down in that chair." A few minutes later Hanna and Justin are bound and gagged as Simon stands there looking at his helpless cornered doves.

"Keep your eyes open!" Simon shouts as he rushes Justin and tapes his eyelids open, “There’s only two people in the world who are going to see this. Maybe more if you have cameras in here somewhere, then," Simon imagines his doves being displayed on T.V. and the internet for all to see, "everyone would have the privilege of seeing my doves!"

Simon walks over to Hanna, sits on her back, wraps the garrote wire around her neck and pulls. He stares at Justin as he frantically struggles, his shouts muffled by the tape. 

His shouts turn to silence as he watches the life being slowly choked from her. Justin sits motionless, gently sobbing as he looks at his wife’s lifeless body.

Simon grabs her left hand and slips off her wedding ring, puts it in his pocket, and trains the Glock at Justin’s head as he walks toward him.

"Nevermind about the valuables, I'll find them later," Simon walks behind him and rests his hand on the top of his head, "but something tells me I already took what was most valuable to you."

Powerful. Engaged. And a hell of a lot better than he thought it could be. 

His still racing heart calms with disappointment knowing that it will be over soon.

Moments later the garrote wire tightens around Justin’s neck, complete silence, the last cry of the hopeless,  and the grim deed is done. Simon smiles as he overlooks his canvas, “Time for a drink.” He says as he slips off Justin’s ring and tosses them both into the BOD-D.

 

After a short lunch at QuikTrip, Detectives Audy and Kahn-Lee pull into the parking lot of the Dallas Police Station. 

“Captain Edmons wants us to assist you two in the North Dallas murder case. Mind filling us in?” says Moore as she shakes their hands and takes out her notebook. The four detectives weave their way through the ground floor and stand under the suspended helicopter.

Audy checks her watch, “Double homicide; victims are Jeffrey and Hanna Rustin. They were both 27 years of age and married. Looks to be a home invasion gone wrong."