Chapter 32

Jenny trailed half a block behind her prey. The scrawny meth cook carried a bag full of Sudafed he’d been buying from a dozen different stores. She was patient, but he needed to wrap it up so she would have enough time to kill him and still get home before Eric.

She watched as the nervous criminal jaywalked and turned left towards his new shithole of an apartment. Jenny smiled and followed discretely. Her heavy jacket kept her warm, but she was more thankful for the hood that kept her identity unknown. Around this neighborhood no one would be looking.

The quarry clamored through the gate and into his unit. The murderess counted to sixty and knocked on the door. She’d rubbed some melted chocolate on her front teeth to make them appear rotted from drug use. The fact that she was clearly pregnant couldn’t hurt her disguise, but it was taking a toll on her ankles.

“Who’s there?” Called Mr. Floyd from the other side of the door.

“Look I know who you are. I just need a little taste. I have cash; let me in before someone sees me out here.” Jenny begged.

She forced her hands to tremble more than the cold was making them and chewed on her thumb. The light came back to the peephole and the door was opened.

“Hurry up. I don’t have all day. I’ve seen you down at Toni’s, right?”

The killer entered the domicile and put her hands in her pockets.

“I dunno. I been a lot of places. So, are you going to give me what I need or what?” She asked.

Floyd eyed her suspiciously and picked up a small baggie.

“Fine. I don’t need a preggo bitch in here anyway. The sex ain’t that good. You owe fifty bucks or twenty-five and a BJ. Lady’s choice.”

The dealer tossed her the clear plastic bag and reclined on the worn couch. He undid his pants and waited for her with a sleazy grin. Jenny closed the distance with a smile of her own. She reached out and zapped him in the neck with her stun gun.

She went to work with her zip ties and duct tape. Jenny put her target onto a tarp and dragged him over the blacktop to the empty apartment across from his. It was grueling work, but the adrenaline was helping. That and the fear of being in a meth lab for too long with her unborn son growing.

Jenny used foil to cover the windows and set about stripping her plaything down. She set the addict down in the shower and waved smelling salts under his nose. He came to with a cough and profanity. She smacked the last strip of duct tape over his mouth and wrapped it around his head.

Tearing the tape was difficult with her gloves on, but the killer made do. This kill would be perfect. Jenny said nothing as she started making shallow cuts into his arms. She waited until he was writhing against his bonds to speak.

“You don’t know me, but I know all about you Mr. Floyd. You killed one of my only friends and nearly killed the man I’m going to marry. I doubt anyone will miss a drug dealing loser who shoots innocent cops and beats his girlfriend.” She added another gash on his thigh. Crimson droplets rained on the tiles.

“The only thing you’ve got going for you is I only have a few hours to enjoy this. And I do intend to enjoy this. You are going to be my last victim. The very last one; you should feel special.”

Jenny moved the camp lantern out of the way and dragged the tip of the blade down her victim’s chest. A thin trail appeared, oozing blood, and separating with each drastic flail he made. She heard a car circling the lot outside. The helpless crook tried to scream but the sounds were muffled by the shiny silver adhesive.

“Not going to do you any good. You deserve this. Just relax and hold still; it only gets worse from here.” The killer scolded.

With a flick of her wrist the razor-sharp blade removed his left nipple. Sanguine fluid surged forth and drenched his chest and the front of his pants. Mr. Floyd the meth maker had never been so aware of reality in his life. His eyes clenched shut and he fought to roll away or kick his captor.

Jenny stood up and stretched her legs. She leaned over her prey and began to slash at his flesh wildly. Red stripes materialized all over his arms, chest, legs, and face. Bits of hair were shorn off and the murderess let her emotions take over.

“You nearly killed Eric! You filthy piece of scum. You don’t deserve to live and walk the streets free. Not when Sasha Jenkins is cold and buried. Not when Eric could still be called to your address. Not when Lee has to see your smiling face at the store. And never while my child is in this world!” She spat at him.

“Jenny?”

The killer whipped around with her knife up and splashes of the dying man’s blood covering her rain poncho. Eric stood in the doorway with his pistol in hand. He lowered the gun and froze watching the blood pour down the drain.

“Eric. I know this doesn’t look good. But…” She stammered out.

A drop of blood dripped from the top of her poncho onto her nose. Officer McGill glanced at her weapon. Jenny let her grip loosen and it fell to the floor with a resounding clank. Her victim was crying and attempting to crawl to the policeman for help.

“Don’t Jenny. Don’t even try to lie to me again. You’re the one who killed those people and here you are covered in blood about to kill another man. What do you think I’m supposed to do? I’M A FREAKING COP!”

Eric fumed as he examined the scene. Jenny lowered herself to the floor. There was no use arguing; she was caught. Her life was over and soon she’d be in jail. When the baby was born, Eric would take custody of their son and Jenny would be executed for her crimes. She should have fled.

“I never wanted you to know. I’m sorry, Eric. I truly am. I wanted to tell you and I was going to stop. After this last one I was going to quit. I haven’t killed anyone else since you were shot. But I couldn’t bear to let this guy get away with what he did.”

McGill grumbled and assessed the situation. He turned around to his fiancé and pointed at Floyd.

“Help me get him on that tarp and back into his place. I’ve been patrolling here for weeks to screw up his business. You couldn’t have killed him any other night?” He demanded.

Jenny was taken aback as he threw a trash bag over his arms and helped her lift the pale form onto the plastic.

“Why…what are you doing?” Jenny asked.

“I’m protecting my family. I heard what you told him. I can’t trust you, but my choice right now is between you and this fuckwad. I chose you.

We’re going to get him back in his place and use a few of his knives to kill him so it looks like several people jumped him. Then we’re going to take whatever drugs he has and flush them, so it looks like they were stolen. Grab any cash you can and cover our tracks.”

McGill gazed at the woman he was marrying in one month. She stood aghast and impressed at her fiancé’s response.

“Okay. We’ll do this and go home. I’ll find some way to make this up to you, Eric.” Said Jenny.

He started dragging the unconscious man who’d shot him before. Eric shook his head. He talked quietly as he moved the limp body.

“We’ll talk about that later. For now, we’ve got to get this over with and get home. And tomorrow we’re looking for a new city to start over in. We’ll get married at the courthouse with Lee as our witness and I’ll turn in my resignation. Fresh start. We need a fresh start after this mess.”

Jenny only nodded. She’d ruined his life. The killer inside her wept for the loss of his innate goodness and reveled in the fact that this kill, her last hunt, they would finish together.