Knowing how prickly and territorial Tic Tac gets about Lucas being involved, I call him to warn him. I dial Tic Tac. He answers on the first ring. “I just sent Lucas information on a bunch of horror groups. I’m not all-in on the idea that the killer would associate with the people who are involved but we have to try. There are online groups, too. I just want you to know so we don’t cross over each other.”
“You just like him because he breaks the rules and I don’t.”
Ah, here we go, I think, but what I say is, “That’s why I have you both, Tic Tac. He does whatever it takes, but you keep me honest.” Whoever thinks I can’t chat it up and stroke feelings, well take that.
My phone buzzes with a text message. “One sec.”
I glance down to read a message from the governor: It’s handled. The meeting is cancelled. Detective Rollins invited them to the police station tomorrow instead.
I don’t reply. I want him to think I might show up and crash his party with the press. I return to my call. “Listen, I need to go, Tic Tac. Is there anything I need to know urgently in the email you sent? Because I haven’t had time to read it.”
“I wish there was. That would mean I’d helped you end the killings.”
I chat with him a minute more and then we disconnect. After which, I sit there for a moment and play his words in my head, that would mean I’d helped you end the killings.
Therein lies the problem. We haven’t ended the killings. There will be another. I call Tic Tac back.
“That was fast,” he says.
“I can’t believe I haven’t looked at this before now. How many days were there between murders?”
“I was actually going to make a chart with that information this afternoon. Hold on a minute.” I listen as his fingers pound on the keyboard, seconds ticking by, and I have no idea why I’m anxious right now. I don’t really do anxious. Nevertheless, I wait impatiently, until he says. “Oh wow, Lilah.”
“What does that mean? Oh wow, Lilah.”
“It means it’s not good. The first one was forty-five days ago. The second thirty days later.”
They’re getting closer, I think. “And this one?” I ask.
“Fifteen days.”
“That means—”
“If we’re right about where we’re going with this. The next one will be somewhere in the six-to-eight-day range and today is one of those days.”
In other words, I have five days to catch a serial killer.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
My next call after Tic Tac is to Jack. He answers with a ridiculous greeting, “You’re calling me? I can’t believe you’re calling me.”
“Who’s the next logical killer a copycat would copy?”
“I was thinking about that. I’d think either Candyman or Scream because there were recently new movies in both franchises and yet the franchises represent classics. However, you could argue Scream isn’t a classic for various reasons, but no one would say that about Candyman.”
“And Candyman kills how?”
“With a hook.”
“And Scream?”
“Knife. That’s another reason I don’t think it will be Scream. Every murder has been classic and original. Another knife would be kind of a repeat and boring.”
“Where would one get a hook that would meet the Candyman killing style?”
“It’s like a fishing hook so maybe down at the docks, or a fishing supply store. If you want it to be untraceable, I’d say the docks. The problem is, they could have gone to any number of places seaside to get one.”
He’s right. This angle is not going to get me anywhere. “I’m hanging up now.”
“Wait. You want me to dig around for a lead on the hook?”
“No. I do not want you to dig around at all. I need to go.” I hang up on him.
I text Detective Rollins: The murders are getting closer. Based on our calculations the next will be in 5-7 days. The next logical horror killer to copycat is Candyman. We’re looking for a fish hook purchase, and I know, good luck on that. But check the immediate family and friends for anything that stands out. More soon.
He replies instantly: The family is lined up for interviews starting at eight tomorrow morning.
My phone pings with another text, this one from the ME and directed at me and Rollins: We’re looking at a needlepoint dagger weapon and I do believe at this point, there were five entry points, made in unison. Some type of glove would have to have been used. There are no blade remnants left behind. I found no unique DNA, and the only carpet fibers were those that matched a throw rug in the bathroom. This does seem to indicate the killer was waiting in the bathroom. I’m emailing my report to both of you. I’ll compare the connected cases to this one later tonight.