from his shirt, matching the hues of writing on the back of his hand, notes no doubt recording his latest fantastic ideas. Now that teens wore their clothes loose, his fit tight, and—horror of horrors—his sneakers weren't brand name. His chin was spattered with pimples and his teeth were caged in braces, and he repeatedly pushed his glasses back on his nose. DeClercq, who'd been a nerd himself, sympathized with him.
"Doug," Chan said, "Chief Superintendent DeClercq. I want you to tell him what you told me."
The youth held a paperback in his scribbled hand, raising it so Robert could read the title Jolly Roger. The jacket illustration was of a skull and crossbones. Doug's fingers, nails nibbled to the quick, hid the author's name.
"I like horror," he said defiantly. "I read everything in print and go to every movie. The newsletter I publish is called Renfield. I don't suppose the name means anything to you?"
"He was the madman in Stoker's Dracula," DeClercq said, joining Doug on the bench to put him at ease.
"Are you a fellow traveler?"
"I was," the Mountie said. "But my taste would seem retro to you. I Am Legend is where I phased out."
"Matheson. Fifty-four. A classic," Doug said. He directed the comment to Chan, whom he assessed as an outsider. To DeClercq: "What's your all-rime favorite?"
"Novel: Stevenson's Jekyll and Hyde. Story: "Rats in the Walls.""
"Lovecraft. Twenty-four," Doug said to Eric.
"Runners-up are "Yellow Wallpaper," "The Monkey's Paw," "Lukundoo," and "Small Assassin." So what do you have to tell me?"
Doug waved Jolly Roger in the air. "The woman hanging from the bridge? The one found this morning? Her killing copycats the first victim in this novel. Skinned face, cross-bones, hook, and all. The only difference is Jolly Roger also stabs his victim in the belly."
Robert glanced at Eric, who indicated no. The stabbing was a detail not released to the media. If they collared a suspect, the fact would test the truth of any resulting confession. It would also eliminate copycat crimes. Now Doug was saying the cops' secret matched what was in print, while Eric confirmed the stabbing fact hadn't been leaked.
"Give him the background," Chan said.
"My uncle works for the wholesaler that distributes books and mags around Vancouver. Anything new in horror, he bags a copy for me. Jolly Roger hit the warehouse yesterday. I got first copy off the top and read it last night. Today I woke up to find the novel a reality. I checked with my uncle who says the stock's not been distributed. I thought you should know."
DeClercq asked Doug for the book to check the copyright page to see if it was a hardcover reprint. Jolly Roger was a paperback original published by Fly-By-Night Press in December 1992. Today was December 2nd.
"Eric . . ." Robert said.
"I'm way ahead of you. Doug, how'd you like to be my partner for a while?"
"As long as it doesn't disqualify me for any reward."
DeClercq checked the copyright holder, searching for the author.
The rights were held by a company, Death's-Head Incorporated.
The author used a nom de plume.
Pen name: Skull & Crossbones.
Alone in his office, DeClercq read Jolly Roger:
Chapter One
Magick
You ask how it began?
Well, I'll tell you.
Beast 666 opened the key.
You'll recall he wrote in The Confessions:
Her name was Vittoria Cremers .. . She was an intimate friend of Mabel Collins, authoress of The Blossom and the Fruit, the novel which has left so deep a mark upon my early ideas about Magick . . . She professed the utmost devotion to me and proposed to come to England and put the work of the Order on a sound basis. I thought the idea was excellent, paid her passage to England and established her as manageress.
Technically, I digress; but I cannot refrain from telling her favourite story. She boasted of her virginity and of the intimacy of her relations with Mabel Collins, with whom she lived for a long time. Mabel had however divided her favours with a
"Doug," Chan said, "Chief Superintendent DeClercq. I want you to tell him what you told me."
The youth held a paperback in his scribbled hand, raising it so Robert could read the title Jolly Roger. The jacket illustration was of a skull and crossbones. Doug's fingers, nails nibbled to the quick, hid the author's name.
"I like horror," he said defiantly. "I read everything in print and go to every movie. The newsletter I publish is called Renfield. I don't suppose the name means anything to you?"
"He was the madman in Stoker's Dracula," DeClercq said, joining Doug on the bench to put him at ease.
"Are you a fellow traveler?"
"I was," the Mountie said. "But my taste would seem retro to you. I Am Legend is where I phased out."
"Matheson. Fifty-four. A classic," Doug said. He directed the comment to Chan, whom he assessed as an outsider. To DeClercq: "What's your all-rime favorite?"
"Novel: Stevenson's Jekyll and Hyde. Story: "Rats in the Walls.""
"Lovecraft. Twenty-four," Doug said to Eric.
"Runners-up are "Yellow Wallpaper," "The Monkey's Paw," "Lukundoo," and "Small Assassin." So what do you have to tell me?"
Doug waved Jolly Roger in the air. "The woman hanging from the bridge? The one found this morning? Her killing copycats the first victim in this novel. Skinned face, cross-bones, hook, and all. The only difference is Jolly Roger also stabs his victim in the belly."
Robert glanced at Eric, who indicated no. The stabbing was a detail not released to the media. If they collared a suspect, the fact would test the truth of any resulting confession. It would also eliminate copycat crimes. Now Doug was saying the cops' secret matched what was in print, while Eric confirmed the stabbing fact hadn't been leaked.
"Give him the background," Chan said.
"My uncle works for the wholesaler that distributes books and mags around Vancouver. Anything new in horror, he bags a copy for me. Jolly Roger hit the warehouse yesterday. I got first copy off the top and read it last night. Today I woke up to find the novel a reality. I checked with my uncle who says the stock's not been distributed. I thought you should know."
DeClercq asked Doug for the book to check the copyright page to see if it was a hardcover reprint. Jolly Roger was a paperback original published by Fly-By-Night Press in December 1992. Today was December 2nd.
"Eric . . ." Robert said.
"I'm way ahead of you. Doug, how'd you like to be my partner for a while?"
"As long as it doesn't disqualify me for any reward."
DeClercq checked the copyright holder, searching for the author.
The rights were held by a company, Death's-Head Incorporated.
The author used a nom de plume.
Pen name: Skull & Crossbones.
Alone in his office, DeClercq read Jolly Roger:
Chapter One
Magick
You ask how it began?
Well, I'll tell you.
Beast 666 opened the key.
You'll recall he wrote in The Confessions:
Her name was Vittoria Cremers .. . She was an intimate friend of Mabel Collins, authoress of The Blossom and the Fruit, the novel which has left so deep a mark upon my early ideas about Magick . . . She professed the utmost devotion to me and proposed to come to England and put the work of the Order on a sound basis. I thought the idea was excellent, paid her passage to England and established her as manageress.
Technically, I digress; but I cannot refrain from telling her favourite story. She boasted of her virginity and of the intimacy of her relations with Mabel Collins, with whom she lived for a long time. Mabel had however divided her favours with a
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