Read Online They Never Die Quietly (2010) by D M Annechino - Free Book Online
Authors: D M Annechino
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were abducted. He claims that she borrowed his cell phone to make a call."
"When?"
"Last night. Around seven-thirty."
About the same time her husband had gotten a message from her, Sami thought. "Did he say where he saw her?"
"Exactly where we found her BMW."
"What else?"
"Said she refused his assistance--already had help."
"From whom?"
"A big guy--well over six feet tall."
The children of the victims had all claimed that the suspect was very tall. "Did he get a look at the guy?"
"Said it was too dark. All he could remember was that the suspect wore a Padres baseball cap."
Sami guessed that more than a quarter million six-foot-plus men wore Padres caps. "Did he see anything else, Captain?"
"He spotted a black or dark blue, late model Ford Supercab pickup parked behind the BMW."
"Big surprise." This confirmed what one of the children had said. "Anything unusual about the truck? Roof rack, company logo, camper shell?"
"Couldn't remember a thing."
If the truck belonged to the killer, it could prove to be a significant lead. But more than two million people lived in San Diego County. Thousands drove dark colored late model Supercabs.
"Did Mr. McDonald offer any clues?" Davison asked.
"Nada."
A long silence. "Everything okay, Rizzo?"
As he was not normally concerned with her state of mind, the captain's question alarmed Sami. Was he fishing for something? Perhaps he sensed her personal involvement in this case? "I want to nail this guy, captain. Really want to fry his ass."
"We all do, Rizzo. We all do."
Forgetting the handcuffs, Peggy almost catapulted off the bed when she heard the door unlock. The bed moved six inches away from the wall before her body snapped back onto the mattress. The steel cuff cut into her wrist.
The door creaked open and Simon walked in. Alone.
Her eyes were wild. "Where's my daughter, you sick bastard?"
"Safe."
"Where is she?"
He walked toward the bed and Peggy cowered, expecting him to strike her again.
He reached in his shirt pocket and removed a small package colorfully wrapped in scarlet red paper with white hearts. A delicate bow sat on top. It looked about the same size as a deck of playing cards.
"I'm sorry I hit you. I'm not the raving maniac you think I am. Sometimes...I just get angry." He handed her the package. "Accept this as a peace offering. Please?"
How could she trust this lunatic? "What is it?"
"April picked it out."
His eyes looked sincere, but..."When can I see her?"
"Open the package and I promise to bring her back."
Her hands trembled as she tore off the paper and found a white cardboard box. Carefully, she removed the top. Inside the box she found the gift wrapped in tissue paper. She looked up at him. "April picked it out?"
He nodded.
She delicately separated the tissue paper.
Peggy McDonald gasped for air. With her free hand, she covered her mouth. She gawked at what lay in the bottom of the box, unwilling to grasp the reality of it. Her hands began to tremble and a wave of nausea gripped her. She could taste the bitter tang of bile in the back of her throat. She glanced at Simon and could see the look of satisfaction on his face. She now realized the depths of his evil.
With a glow of victory in his eyes, Simon grinned and walked out the door.
SIX
Simon lay naked in bed, staring at the colorless ceiling. The full moon, spilling through partially drawn blinds, provided the only light in the room. More than ever before he needed to hear his mother's soothing voice, to feel her loving authority in every reverent word. He had sinned. Pitifully broken God's word. Children were pure; God's most cherished creations. Yet, Simon, seduced by Satan, had used an innocent child as a weapon against her wretched mother.
It felt like his experience with Bonnie Jean all over again. The blind rage. The dark part of him that took control. The other self he feared so much. But unlike the incident with Bonnie Jean, Simon remembered every detail of his vile
"When?"
"Last night. Around seven-thirty."
About the same time her husband had gotten a message from her, Sami thought. "Did he say where he saw her?"
"Exactly where we found her BMW."
"What else?"
"Said she refused his assistance--already had help."
"From whom?"
"A big guy--well over six feet tall."
The children of the victims had all claimed that the suspect was very tall. "Did he get a look at the guy?"
"Said it was too dark. All he could remember was that the suspect wore a Padres baseball cap."
Sami guessed that more than a quarter million six-foot-plus men wore Padres caps. "Did he see anything else, Captain?"
"He spotted a black or dark blue, late model Ford Supercab pickup parked behind the BMW."
"Big surprise." This confirmed what one of the children had said. "Anything unusual about the truck? Roof rack, company logo, camper shell?"
"Couldn't remember a thing."
If the truck belonged to the killer, it could prove to be a significant lead. But more than two million people lived in San Diego County. Thousands drove dark colored late model Supercabs.
"Did Mr. McDonald offer any clues?" Davison asked.
"Nada."
A long silence. "Everything okay, Rizzo?"
As he was not normally concerned with her state of mind, the captain's question alarmed Sami. Was he fishing for something? Perhaps he sensed her personal involvement in this case? "I want to nail this guy, captain. Really want to fry his ass."
"We all do, Rizzo. We all do."
Forgetting the handcuffs, Peggy almost catapulted off the bed when she heard the door unlock. The bed moved six inches away from the wall before her body snapped back onto the mattress. The steel cuff cut into her wrist.
The door creaked open and Simon walked in. Alone.
Her eyes were wild. "Where's my daughter, you sick bastard?"
"Safe."
"Where is she?"
He walked toward the bed and Peggy cowered, expecting him to strike her again.
He reached in his shirt pocket and removed a small package colorfully wrapped in scarlet red paper with white hearts. A delicate bow sat on top. It looked about the same size as a deck of playing cards.
"I'm sorry I hit you. I'm not the raving maniac you think I am. Sometimes...I just get angry." He handed her the package. "Accept this as a peace offering. Please?"
How could she trust this lunatic? "What is it?"
"April picked it out."
His eyes looked sincere, but..."When can I see her?"
"Open the package and I promise to bring her back."
Her hands trembled as she tore off the paper and found a white cardboard box. Carefully, she removed the top. Inside the box she found the gift wrapped in tissue paper. She looked up at him. "April picked it out?"
He nodded.
She delicately separated the tissue paper.
Peggy McDonald gasped for air. With her free hand, she covered her mouth. She gawked at what lay in the bottom of the box, unwilling to grasp the reality of it. Her hands began to tremble and a wave of nausea gripped her. She could taste the bitter tang of bile in the back of her throat. She glanced at Simon and could see the look of satisfaction on his face. She now realized the depths of his evil.
With a glow of victory in his eyes, Simon grinned and walked out the door.
SIX
Simon lay naked in bed, staring at the colorless ceiling. The full moon, spilling through partially drawn blinds, provided the only light in the room. More than ever before he needed to hear his mother's soothing voice, to feel her loving authority in every reverent word. He had sinned. Pitifully broken God's word. Children were pure; God's most cherished creations. Yet, Simon, seduced by Satan, had used an innocent child as a weapon against her wretched mother.
It felt like his experience with Bonnie Jean all over again. The blind rage. The dark part of him that took control. The other self he feared so much. But unlike the incident with Bonnie Jean, Simon remembered every detail of his vile
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