Read Online Quinn by Iris Johansen - Free Book Online Page B

lips. “Are these killings all about sex? Is that why he likes little girls? Does he rape them?”
    “Probably.” He looked away as she flinched. “But it’s not about the sexual act as much as it is about power. Most serial killers are addicted to power. Sexual domination is a form of power. Perhaps little boys don’t give him the same rush as little girls.” He sat down across from her. Look at her. Ignore the fact that every word was hurting her. “Perhaps that’s why he butchered that little boy so terribly. He was angry with him for not being what he wanted him to be. But we can’t be sure because we’ve never found any of the little girls’ bodies.” He stared her in the eyes. “Any more questions?”
    “Not for the moment.” She swallowed hard. “But thank you for not trying to sugarcoat your answer. I had to know. Then it’s all about power?”
    “And ego. If a killer has murdered successfully for a long time, then he begins to think he’s impervious to capture. He usually develops a pattern according to how often he needs his fix.”
    “Fix,” she repeated. “It’s truly an addiction?”
    He nodded. “And he’ll be as reckless as a heroin addict to get what he needs. More, because he believes no one can touch him.”
    “A pattern.” She looked down at the sheet of paper in front of her. “The dates of the disappearances of the first three girls are approximately five months apart. Janey Bristol, six years, disappeared from Dunwoody three years ago on August 10. Linda Cantrell, eight years, was reported missing on January 30 from her home in Marietta. Natalie Kirk got off the bus but never made it home on June 5.” She glanced up. “But the other disappearances were less predictable. The next disappearance didn’t happen for another eighteen months. And the next two followed almost immediately. Within a few weeks of each other.” She tapped the third pile of files. “And none of these out-of-town disappearances took place during those eighteen months. They were all before the local Atlanta killings started. And there was over a year between those kidnappings. If he’s what you say he is, I don’t think he was taking a vacation. Where was he? What was he doing?” She added unsteadily, “Who was he killing?”
    “That’s what we’re going to find out. He could have been away from the area. Or he might have been in jail.” His gaze narrowed thoughtfully. “First a year, then five months. He’s getting hungrier.”
    “Bonnie would have been three months. So maybe she wasn’t one of— I’m trying not to think of Bonnie.” She took another sip of orange juice. “That was one of the nightmares I was having last night.”
    “And my nightmare is your having a nervous breakdown and leaving me without someone to help me find this bastard.” He took a pile of files from her. “So we’ll both go over these files and make notes and talk about them for another two hours. Then I’ll keep on, and you’ll take a nap on the couch.”
    “I won’t be able to sleep.”
    “Then I’ll call a doctor and get him to give you a shot. Take your choice.”
    “We’ll talk about it later.” She went back to the file in front of her. “What are we looking for?”
    “Circumstances surrounding the disappearance. Similarities, indications of any common traits in the victims or family members.”
    “Family members?”
    “It’s possible revenge was taken against the child for a perceived slight by the parents.”
    “Why wouldn’t he just kill the parents?”
    “It could still be on his agenda. He might want them to suffer first.”
    “Yes, that would do it.” She opened the first file. “That’s a lot of things to look for, Joe.”
    “And better done with a clear head.”
    She ignored the jab. “How can you continue to work on cases like this? Doesn’t it make you sick?”
    “Sometimes. But it makes me sicker to know that some arrogant son of a bitch is out there killing whoever