Chris Carter - The Crucifix Killer

Hunter was fast despite his heavier, muscular frame, but JJ was skinnier, lighter and moved with the agility of a rat. Hunter decided to try the friendly approach first.

‘JJ, I just wanna talk to you, slow down goddammit.’

JJ paid no attention to Hunter’s call and in a semi-suicidal move crossed the Boulevard, disregarding traffic and heading towards Frankie and Johnnie’s NY Pizza place.

Hunter followed him, but his run was slowed down by the street crowd and the constant people swerving. Twice he had to perform a quick and awkward left-right-left dance to avoid bumping into street punters.

Two blocks past the Rainbow and moving even faster, JJ swung left in front of the famous Whisky A Go Go bright-red building. Hunter was breathing down his neck, but again he had to zigzag around clubgoers and an uneven piece of sidewalk caused him to take a false step. He felt his left foot twist at the ankle. A sharp pain shot from it quickly consuming his entire leg. His run faded into an awkward hop.

‘Shit!’ he yelled as he watched JJ disappear in the distance.

Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Hunter saw a figure come past him with incredible speed. Garcia was moving like an Olympic champion. With just a few steps he had left Hunter behind and was fast gaining ground on JJ who had turned right into a small alleyway next to a large warehouse. Hunter limped his way after them.

Up ahead, it didn’t take long for Garcia to be within an arm’s length of the tall Puerto Rican. He reached out and grabbed him by his jacket’s collar.

‘OK, OK I give up,’ JJ said slowing down and putting both of his hands up but it was all too late. Garcia spun him around and threw him against the wall, twisting his right arm behind his back. JJ screamed in pain.

‘Running away from armed police officers, have you always been this stupid or is it a new affliction?’ Garcia asked, catching his breath.

‘Let me go ese, I haven’t done nothing.’

It took Hunter thirty seconds to reach them.

‘Are you OK?’ Garcia asked still holding JJ’s arm.

‘I’m fine. Twisted my ankle back there.’

‘Let go of my arm.’

‘Shut the hell up.’ Garcia slammed JJ’s body against the wall once again.

Hunter turned to face JJ. ‘What the hell were you doing? What’s with all this running crap?’

‘Force of habit, homie. What’s this all about? Let me go man!’ He twisted his body trying to escape Garcia’s tight grip.

Hunter gave Garcia a nod who let go of JJ’s arm.

‘You can’t do that man, I’m a legal citizen now,’ JJ said, massaging his right wrist with his left hand and stepping away from the wall.

‘Do we look like immigration to you? Damn, you’re as dumb as you look,’ Garcia snapped.

‘Legal citizen? You’re a pimp JJ, last time I checked prostitution was still illegal in the state of California, we can take your ass straight into prison right now,’ Hunter said pushing JJ back to the wall.

‘Enough with the wall slamming, homie,’ he protested.

‘If my ankle swells, so will your face,’ Hunter threatened.

‘Ain’t my fault, homie.’

‘Of course it’s your fault HOMIE. If I didn’t have to chase you like a fucking rabbit I wouldn’t have twisted my foot.’

‘Why you chasing me man? I didn’t do nothing.’

‘Exactly. We just wanna ask you a few questions.’

‘Why didn’t you say so in the first place?’

Hunter gave him an evil look before pulling the computer portrait out of his pocket. ‘We need to find out who this woman is, if she is a pro or not.’

JJ stared at the picture for a few seconds.

‘Yeah, I have her at home in a video game,’ he said with a smirk.

The slap to the back of the head came from Garcia, throwing JJ’s head forward with a loud thud. ‘You wanna be a smart ass? I’m really starting to dislike you.’

‘Hey, man, this is police brutality. I can press charges you know?’

This time the slap to the back of the head came from Hunter. ‘Does this look like play time to you? Look at the picture – do you know who she is?’ Hunter’s voice was more menacing now.

JJ looked at the picture once again concentrating harder this time. ‘Maybe… I can’t be sure,’ he said after a few seconds.

‘Try.’

‘Is she supposed to be a hooker?’

‘That’s a possibility, JJ. We wouldn’t be asking you if she was a lawyer, would we?’

‘Oh, you’re funny.’ JJ took the picture from Hunter’s hands. ‘She looks too pretty to be a street girl, not that my girls aren’t beautiful.’

‘Uh-huh,’ Hunter tapped his index finger on the picture three times forcing JJ’s attention back to it.

‘If she’s a pro, she plays for the big boys – first class.’

‘And how can we find that out?’ Garcia asked.

‘A girl this pretty would only work for one guy around here – D-King.’

‘Elvis came back from the dead to become a pimp?’ Garcia asked narrowing his eyes.

‘Not the King, D-King, homie.’

‘D-King? What kinda name is that?’ Garcia frowned.

‘The kinda name you don’t wanna fuck with.’

‘Big-time pimp and drug dealer,’ Hunter cut in. ‘Rumor has it that he also deals in guns, but he runs a very tight operation. Everything very much underground. That’s why you wouldn’t have heard of him. He controls everything from afar, except his girls, where he prefers a hands-on approach.’

‘And where can we find him?’ Garcia asked.

‘You won’t find him on the streets, his business is high class.’ JJ scratched the small scar over his left eye. ‘What’s in it for me?’

‘You get to keep all your ugly teeth and not bleed all over your cheap suit. Sounds like a good deal to me,’ Garcia said pushing JJ against the wall one more time.

‘Who the hell’s this guy?’ JJ asked Hunter taking a step away from Garcia.

‘I’m the guy you don’t wanna fuck with,’ Garcia said, stepping closer once again.

‘He’s my new partner JJ and I don’t think he likes you very much. Last guy he took a dislike to still can’t eat anything more solid than yogurt.’

‘Can’t you keep him on a leash?’

‘Sure I can. The leash is in the car. I’ll go get it. You guys will be OK by yourselves for ten minutes or so, right?’

‘Wait, wait. OK, man. No need to leave me alone with monster-cop here. Friday and Saturday nights D-King likes to go to the Vanguard Club in Hollywood. You’ll find him in the VIP area.’

‘How about tonight, right now, where can we find him?’

‘How the hell should I know, homie? I’m doing you a favor here, man, the Vanguard Club Friday and Saturday nights, that’s all I know.’

‘You better not be messing with us, JJ.’ Garcia’s tone was threatening.

‘Why the fuck would I do that? If I never see you two again, that’d be too soon.’

Hunter placed his hand on JJ’s left shoulder squeezing it. The pressure made JJ contort in pain once again. ‘I really hope you’re not sending us on a bogus chase, HOMIE.’

JJ tried in vain to escape Hunter’s grip. ‘I’m telling you the truth man. For real ese.’

Hunter let go of JJ who started dusting his jacket with both hands. ‘Look at what you’ve done to my suit man, these things don’t come cheap you know.’

Garcia checked his pocket change. ‘Here.’ He extended his hand towards JJ. ‘A dollar ninety-five. Go buy another one.’

‘He needs to see somebody, like an anger management person or something. Don’t you guys have shrinks in the police?’

‘No one good enough to cure him,’ Hunter laughed.

JJ muttered something in Spanish as he walked away from both detectives. Garcia returned his change to his pocket and waited until JJ was far enough. ‘What do you think?’