The Wrath Walker (The Wrath Series Book 1) by Matthew Newson (fun to read .txt) 📗

“Are you okay, Brandon? This kind of stuff never bothered you before.”

“Yeah well, it bothers me now, and it’s the same guy that killed Ron. I’m sure of it.”

“Why are you sure it’s the same guy?” She grabbed her pen and was ready to take notes.

“Like you said, I watched that guy pick up Ron with one hand and hold him in the air like Ron didn’t weigh an ounce. This guy doesn’t look it, but he’s incredibly strong. You need to be very careful, Lizzie, going after this guy. There’s something different about him. He not only possesses a level of strength that doesn’t seem humanly possible, but a level of brutality to match. I’ve never seen anyone as severe as him.”

“It’s Elizabeth, and please do not forget again. Am I correct in assuming that you believe he’s some kind of supernatural being now?” Her voice was laced with sarcasm.

“I’m not saying I believe what that nut job said about himself, but you have to admit there’s something off about a guy who can do that kind of stuff. Just look at those pictures, and what is left of Joey if you need any further proof.”

“It’s nothing I haven’t seen before. The guy is either high on something or he’s on steroids. You said he wore a full business suit, so there’s no way you could have seen just how muscular the guy is. However, I’ll tell you one thing that is odd about this case, and that is forensics hasn’t been able to find anything, not even a single fingerprint on the body.”

“They won’t find this guy’s fingerprints because he wears black leather gloves. Did forensics find anything on this guy at Ron’s house? What about the knife Ron stabbed the guy within his neck that rolled over like tin foil?”

“Forensics didn’t find anything, not even a single skin cell from the guy on that knife or in the entire house. All they found was yours and Ron’s DNA, but there were clear signs of a third party from the patterns of movement in the room.”

“I’m telling you this guy is obviously a professional killer and highly intelligent as well.”

“Why do you think he’s intelligent?” she asked.

“Because he’s smart enough not to leave any trace behind that could connect him to the scene of both crimes. I’ve never seen anyone that skilled before who doesn’t leave behind skin cells at the very least.”

“I agree the guy is good, but no one is perfect, and he will slip up eventually. You know even the best makes a mistake from time to time, and when he does, we’ll get him. Now, I’d like to change the subject for a moment.”

I hoped she wanted to talk about us, but something told me I wasn’t going to be that fortunate.

“Sure, go ahead.”

“If you didn’t kill Joey, then why did you go see him the day of his murder, and what did you two talk about?” she asked completely stone-faced.

“Let’s get all our cards on the table. Level with me here. Am I a suspect?”

“You’re a person of interest in this ongoing investigation, which leads me to my next question. Are you working with...? What was the guy’s name again? Oh yes, Wrath. Is Wrath helping you get revenge on the ones you blame all your troubles on? You have to admit, it’s pretty convenient, isn’t it?”

I knew that question was coming, but it still stung as she coldly said the words to me, like she had already made her mind up I was guilty. “No, I’m not working with Wrath, nor am I a killer. Come on, Elizabeth, you know me.”

“Well then, let me say it again for you, so maybe you will be able to see it from where I’m sitting and gain a new perspective. It seems pretty convenient to me that he is going after your enemies.”

“I told you Wrath said to me at Ron’s house that he had four other targets he was going after, but he didn’t tell me who they were. He didn’t even give me so much as the slightest hint of who the people could be.”

“Yes, I remember you saying that, so you figured out who he was targeting, and you didn’t think to tell the police. You seem surprised by how I’m reacting to this sort of deceptive behavior from you. Come on, Brandon, you know me.”

That last barb hurt a little. “It’s not like that. Wrath told me when he killed Ron that his other targets were Ron’s four closest associates.”

“That sounds like a hint to me.”

“Okay, I’ll give you that, but I hadn’t talked to Ron in years. I didn’t know who he hung around with anymore. I had a feeling it might be the Amaras since Ron was fond of them in the past.”

“You had a feeling. Sounds like a pretty accurate feeling if you ask me.”

“Yes, but after our last visit, I reviewed my old case files from Ron’s trial. Out of the nine names that came up who had suspected illegal dealings with Ron, only four of them were still alive. You remember that Ron kept his mouth shut and nothing happened to them.”

“Alright Brandon, given your history and skills as a detective, I’ll give you this one. Tell me, who are the people Wrath is targeting?”

“I figured they are Joey Abbate, Frankie, Enzo, and Skeeter Amara.”

“All the top brass of the Amara family who you have issue with,” she snapped back. “How stupid do you think I am?”

“It’s not like that.”

“Then why did you go see Joey?” she shot back as our exchange grew more heated by the second.

“I went and warned him because I didn’t want him to get killed like he did, because I wanted to see him go to jail for his crimes. Just like I want to see all the Amaras go to prison for what they have done!”

I was completely fired up, and I