Robert Walker - Darkest Instinct

“ And so… what does your mirror tell you?”

“ It’s cracked, spiderwebbed, difficult to see through, but if you want proof we’re on to the right man, take a look at this.” She held up the faxed copy of the sketch that Moyler had forwarded. “I faxed what we have to Scotland Yard. You’ll want to see what their response has been.”

She now laid out all that Inspector Nigel Moyler had shared with her.

“ Coincidence, maybe? Most likely?” he wondered aloud as his eyes played over the information.

“ A big coincidence, if you’re asking me. Look, Eriq, if it’s the same killer-”

“ Big if. To go along with your big coincidence. Crap like this happens in the movies, on TV, in novels, Jess, but like this, laying it all right in our laps? Hardly likely.”

“ Who says anything’s been laid in our laps? Look, just suppose for a moment that our killer and Moyler’s is the same guy. He starts with prostitutes in London, and he’s since decided that we’re all whores, especially those of us of a type he fancies. I just believe that in this instance, women of the victim type, in particular in this city, have a right to know that they-as a group-have been targeted by this madman and are being stalked by him as we speak, Eriq.”

He stared long and hard at her. Jessica matched his intensity in her hard glowering eyes. “Do you have any idea the trouble you’ve caused?”

“ I have a notion, yes.”

“ You’ve placed me in a difficult position with a lot of people, Jessica. And you didn’t factor in the political ramifications of your actions.”

“ Oh, please! Don’t talk politics to me when life and death are at stake!” she exploded, but he held up a restraining hand to her and pushed on.

“ In my office, I’ve got to consider all the ripples in the pond every bloody waking moment, and sometimes in my damned sleep, so pardon me if I seem a bit upset, okay?”

“ My intention didn’t factor in your comfort, Eriq.”

“ Damnit, it’s not just my comfort I’m talking about. We’re talking about power, government contracts, defense spending.”

“ You’re talking about the new U.S. payroll centers which may be slated to be built here if government bigwigs are sold on the area.” The local newscasts and the papers were full of the story of how Miami was vying with other major American cities to build three U.S. payroll centers in the Miami-Dade area, which meant lucrative government jobs.

“ It means seven thousand federal jobs with salaries and benefits averaging out at thirty-five thousand dollars. That’s one hell of an economic boost, Jess. It means a better way of life for a lot of people here. Nothing this big has come along for Miami in a decade. Depending on its size, a single payroll center could pump between sixty and two hundred million a year in direct earnings into the local economy. And in an economy that’s supported almost solely on tourism, such an infusion of dollars means a gilded future for our friends in high places here. But, bottom line, it also means one hell of a payroll for the city.”

“ And Miami stands to lose it all because of the Night Crawler.”

“ Exactly. A city’s image is everything.”

“ Yeah, more important than its life’s blood, obviously.”

“ Damnit, Agent, you’re not listening to me!” Her coolness to his upper-echelon problems didn’t sit well. “The goddamn Economic Development Council, the Metro Vision for the Year 2000, the 1050 Beach Street Business Coalition, the Downtown Development District Council, the Miami Chamber of Commerce-you name it-they’re all on the mayor’s back, so the mayor’s naturally on the police commissioner’s back, and the lot of them are on my back!”

A thick, palpable hush fell over the room as the two FBI agents breathed in the political and economical realities of their situation. Eriq found a chair and sat, raised his hands apologetically and added, “Jess, the average Miami salary is in the neighborhood of twenty thousand dollars. Now the United Miami Coalition and some professors out at UM have figured it all out, and I tell you, an average pay of thirty-five thousand… Well, that’s big-time bucks to these people. They have very, very few industries in and around the city that can generate that kind of money.”

“ Money talks.”

“ It always has, and we’re both adult enough to understand its impact, even here on our case, Jess. Now perhaps you better understand where I’m coming from? In a few weeks the government steering committee to decide if Miami gets those centers will be back in the city. We… I… had hoped to nail this Crawler bastard before then.”

“ We can still clean house within three weeks, if we work together. Dr. Desinor forwarded this to me this morning. It’s from additional psychic readings she’s done on the case.” Jessica handed Santiva the list of physical characteristics which Kim Desinor had created. They matched the description given them by Judy Templar.

“ Something you want to share?” Eriq asked as he took the fax from her, a razor edge to his voice. He still hadn’t had time to forgive her qualified allegiance to him. Like most men, he’d expected and wanted total and blind fidelity, without having to offer the same.

“ Kim only called very late last night. Don’t get spooky on me, Eriq.”

Eriq read the fax aloud in a near whisper. “Taurus… astrological sign of the bull, but actions are more like recluse spider…”

“ She’s got that right.”

Eriq continued to read, pacing as he did so. ‘ ‘Comes out only to feed. Safe only in his own surroundings. Light, sandy-brown hair, dark, mystical eyes, possibly aquamarine, handsome, pleasant, even-tempered, manners impeccable in public. May wear a T-cross around his neck, an emblem of his obsession. Stargazer.”

“ That was Kim’s first read, which she called me about last night. This morning, she conducted a second reading. Her results on the second go-round came over right after she faxed the first. Here it is.”

She handed him a second fax, which Eriq now stared at. It read: height: 6’1 or 2 weight: 160-80 lbs broad-shouldered, large-face, big forehead neck and shoulders all one large, oval, dark and piercing eyes, possibly blue, dark green either birthmark or bad tattoo of a star on right shoulder wears loose-fitting clothes, sneakers, boat shoes size 10–11 lives in isolation, yet within close proximity of many has fascination for stars and water deep-seated hatred for his mother has generalized hatred for all women…

Eriq read aloud the psychic’s final words. “Sorry, nothing more. Caution you to think symbolically and not literally regarding my findings.”

“ She is full of disclaimers,” Jessica muttered, digging her palms now into her eyes, trying to will the fatigue off. “Obviously general enough to fit most of the male population of the planet,” he replied, not overly impressed.

They again stared at one another; then first she and next he began to laugh until their laughter filled the room. “Damnit, Jessica, we’ve got to be together on this thing,” Santiva finally said. “That’s all I’m going to say about your rank insubordination at this time-”

Jessica started to protest, but thought better of it and kept still. “-except to say that in the future, we decide things of major consequence together. For now, we drop it and move on from here. We still have a killer to catch.”

She nodded. “I couldn’t agree with you more.”

“ I’ve got a tight net around every boat dock and riverside establishment for fifty miles either direction of Miami,” he informed her.

“ Are you talking Port Authority, Coast Guard, Florida Marine Patrol or your buddies in the Cuban underworld?”