Josh Lanyon - The Mermaid Murders

Jason said, “If you really were worried, you can relax. I’ve got no doubt Pink is the Huntsman. I don’t believe he ever had an accomplice. I believe he acted alone. And as far as acquiring an apprentice, it was clear to me in the initial part of the interview he was floored at the idea that there could be a successful copycat.”

Kennedy said, “That doesn’t rule out the possibility that he’s got one.”

“If he does, it’s news to him. And not good news either.”

“Maybe.” Kennedy seemed unconvinced. Was he genuinely afraid he had missed something crucial in that initial investigation? Self-doubt seemed out of character for him.

Jason said, “I don’t think Pink plays well with others. And I don’t just mean the homicidal maniac thing, though that’s an obvious factor. I don’t think he’s the type to share the glory or the gory. He’s a one-man show.”

“Yeah.” Kennedy drained his coffee and dropped the cup in the trash. “But someone’s waiting in the wings.”

As they walked back to their car, Jason said, “He honestly didn’t think you were aware of the mermaid connection. I don’t know how he imagines every single person on that taskforce could have missed it, but he’d convinced himself you had. I think that was important to him. Believing he’d gotten away with something. Believing there was still something that was his and his alone.”

“Very possible. It would be his final shared intimacy with the victims.”

At Jason’s questioning look, Kennedy said, “That’s the real point of taking trophies. Serials like to relive their relationship, if you will, with the victims. Trophies help facilitate that.”

“By relationship you mean murder.”

“There’s more to it, but yes, murder is always the keystone of the relationship. Trophies are like talismans. They’re tangible. They’re proof it actually happened. In Pink’s case he took trophies, but he also left something of his own, of himself, with the victims. It was another way of keeping the connection.”

“Delightful,” Jason said bitterly.

“In some ways Pink was pretty naïve. It was more luck than cunning that allowed him to run free so long. In an urban environment, he’d have been caught right away.”

“What was the significance of the mermaids? He told me some cock-and-bull story about a mermaid sticking her tongue out at him once. I think he must have been talking about one of the girls who used to work at the Blue Mermaid. But nothing ever happened to any of those girls. At least not that I remember hearing.”

“No. We were never sure what the significance of the mermaids was.”

Jason stared at the highway and the never-ending stream of cars racing into oblivion.

Kennedy glanced at him and said, “You’re never going to get a satisfying answer on the why. Serial killers don’t kill for the normal reasons of gain or revenge or lust. Their motives don’t even qualify as motives as recognized by a rational mind.”

“Insanity is a legal definition not a medical diagnosis.”

“True. But how else do you classify the brain of a ruthless predator that kills and tortures for pleasure? People want to understand the why and the how, but there are some things there’s no understanding.”

Yes. Kennedy had this right. Despite his training and education, Jason still wanted to understand, still wanted to be able to make some sense out of…insanity. Because regardless of legal definitions, there was nothing normal about a person who could do the things Pink had done.

Jason forced his thoughts to the practical. “Couldn’t you track the manufacturer down?”

“We tried. We didn’t get anywhere. George Simpson had only purchased the gift shop that year. The mermaids Pink bought from him were the last of already existing stock. It was a dead end.”

Kennedy pressed the key fob unlocking the doors, and they climbed into the sedan. However, Kennedy didn’t start the engine. He seemed to be thinking.

“Something wrong?” Jason asked.

“No.” Kennedy glanced at him. It was an odd look. A measuring look.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I am.” Kennedy stared out the windshield. “I think we should stay in Boston tonight.”

“Boston? Why?”

“A couple of reasons. I want to go over some things regarding the case, and I’d prefer to do that without any audience.”

“Okay.”

It was true their presence generated a lot of attention in Kingsfield. Not so much that Jason would have thought they couldn’t speak freely, certainly in private, but if Kennedy thought they needed a few hours off-site, okay. Jason was in no rush to return.

His puzzlement must have shown.

Kennedy said, “It hasn’t hit you yet, has it?”

Jason said warily, “What hasn’t hit me?”

“If Pink is telling the truth, then there’s a strong possibility this copycat is someone involved in the original investigation.”

Jason said, “You’re suggesting local law enforcement? Yes, the thought had occurred.”

Kennedy’s expression was noncommittal. “That’s one possibility and, believe me, I like that thought as little as you do. However, that was a big taskforce. We had hundreds of people including crime scene technicians and state police working to break the case.”

“Okay, but we also have to consider Pink may be lying about sharing that information. Or he may have shared the information and not remembered.”

“Given the fact he has almost zero contact with the outside world and the contact that he does have is screened…”

Jason said, “Yeah, I think someone should conduct another check into this fiancée of his, for starters.”

Kennedy nodded. “Also the doctor. Kyser. The desire to impress a doctor, let alone a doctor writing a book on serial killers, would be exactly the kind of impetus that might lead Pink to share that critical piece of information.”

“The fact remains he could have talked prior to his arrest. You said he used his brother’s van. Maybe his brother was more involved than anyone realized. Maybe someone else was involved. It’s possible Pink has an apprentice without realizing he has an apprentice.”

“Pink’s brother is dead.”

“I know, but he could have talked before he died. People do talk.”

“That they do.”

Jason said suddenly, “Both Boxner and Pink used the word disciple .”

“It’s not an unusual word. In fact, it’s a word that crops up a lot in copycat cases.”

“Maybe. Boxner was there that night, and he had access to those old files. He admitted looking through Honey’s file. That’s how he knew I was considered a suspect.”

Kennedy frowned. “Rebecca returned safely back to the party after speaking to Boxner. Are you suggesting…what? Boxner arranged to meet her later? Arranged to meet her in the woods?”

“The case he tried to build against me works just as well for him. You brought up the possibility of local law enforcement being involved. I don’t think Chief Gervase is a serial killer.”

Kennedy answered seriously, “No. Gervase is not remotely the right psychological profile. Neither does Boxner fit the profile. You don’t just suddenly turn into a serial killer because a mermaid sticks her tongue out at you.”

“Okay, but does the original profile fit this profile?”

Kennedy frowned. “We’re not dealing with the same offender.”

“But if we’re dealing with an apprentice or a former accomplice…shouldn’t the profile dovetail in certain ways?”

“It does in certain ways, and those are the ways that eliminate Gervase and Boxner both.”

It probably was pretty far-fetched as theories went. Jason said, “How about George Simpson? Was he part of the original investigation?”