Simon Says_. Walk (Kate Morgan #6)(87)
Author: Dale Mayer

 

“I am not a fucking loser,” he snapped. “You fucking better remember that.”

 

“No, I think I got that quite clearly. So tell me. Was Elizabeth the first one or the only one?”

 

There was silence, and then he laughed. “No, she wasn’t. When she left, I lost it, and I took it out on a few people who maybe didn’t deserve it,” he admitted.

 

At that, Simon winced. “Who did you take it out on?”

 

“Why? What difference does it make?” he asked.

 

“Because, if I get to the other side, and some heaven is over there, and all those victims are there, it might not be a bad thing to let them all know what happened. I understand when people die in vicious circumstances that they don’t always end up understanding what happened.”

 

“Oh, so you’ll go over there and explain it to them.” He laughed at that. “Oh my God, that’s so rich. That’s hilarious.”

 

“Well, one day you’ll be over there, and they’ll talk to you themselves and find out what the hell you were doing and why. However, in the meantime, maybe I can bring them some peace.”

 

That silence following his comment made Simon wonder if he had said something that completely surprised his kidnapper.

 

“Do you really think they’re over there waiting?”

 

“Oh, I know so. I’m sure, in your worst nightmares, you do too.”

 

“I don’t get nightmares.” He sighed. “Not now. It’s another reason for doing what I’m doing. It kinda puts me back in control.”

 

“Right, so that the people who abused you before know that they’ll never do it again because you’re too strong now.”

 

“Something like that.”

 

“Anything you can do to gain control of your life is understandable to me.”

 

“Right? That’s what I thought, but not everybody looks at it that way.”

 

“That’s because, if your taking control is hurting somebody else, … well, nobody likes that.”

 

“They shouldn’t fucking care,” he muttered, “because it’s none of their business.”

 

“So you don’t think it’s Patricia’s brother’s business that he should find out what happened to his beloved sister?”

 

Then came another point of dead silence. Then his kidnapper asked, “Do you really think he cared?”

 

“Yes, I do. I really think he cared.”

 

“Huh, interesting.” he muttered. “But it’s too late, Patricia’s dead.”

 

“You killed her too.”

 

“I did. I killed her too.”

 

“Why?” Simon asked, his voice so soft, wondering how to get the killer to open up, just to get the answers that, even if he died, Simon desperately wanted to hear.

 

“What difference does it make?” the kidnapper asked.

 

“Because then I would know. I get it. You don’t owe me anything, but I’m curious, considering these poor people died because of me, although how you can blame me for all of them, I don’t know.”

 

“They didn’t all die because of you, but you started it, and, once it started, there was really no other answer.”

 

He shook his head at that. “That sounds like a cop-out.”

 

After a long moment, the kidnapper’s voice turned ugly. “Are you calling me a liar?”

 

“No, I’m not calling you a liar. I’m saying that your reasoning is a cop-out. If you like killing people, and you like what the result is for yourself, then that’s on you, not on me.”

 

Silence. “Hadn’t considered it that way,” the kidnapper admitted thoughtfully.

 

“You should think about it. Whatever you did originally, you may have done because you were so angry at me, at Elizabeth, at her mother, but whatever you did since that original kill? … That’s on you, and it’s on whatever it is that you decided you needed out of this. And from what I’m hearing, it’s all about control, all about mastery and being the one in control. You want to be the one who makes others do what you want. For whatever reason, you wanted to make them dance to your tune, make them scared—as if you were always the victor, as if you were always to be feared.” He asked, “Am I wrong?”

 

“No, you’re not wrong.”

 

“So then this was your game, even though you tried to make it sound as if it was my game.”

 

“Why shouldn’t it be your game?”

 

“If a true game, then it takes at least two players. You never let me into the game, so it wasn’t a competition. It was whatever you were going through that you felt you needed somebody to understand, or not even understand so much as you felt you needed somebody to acknowledge your pain and your own needs.”

 

“Is that so wrong?”

 

“It’s only wrong because you hurt somebody, and you’re continuing to hurt people,” Simon stated. “Everybody needs to have their own emotions validated. Everybody needs to have their lives validated in some way, but, when you do it at the cost of hurting others, … it makes you no different than these abused women. Just another victim. Once again a victim yourself.”

 

At that, the blow came out of nowhere and struck him on the side of the head, knocking him out.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 22

 

 

 

 

 

Kate’s phone rang, even as she slowly climbed the front steps to the station. It was Lisa Sands. “Hey, Lisa.”

 

Lisa hesitated and then spoke. “Look. I don’t … I don’t know. I don’t see how it possibly could be. … Could you … Could you come here and talk to me?”

 

Kate winced because it was already so late and then said, “Of course. You really can’t tell me over the phone?”

 

“No, no, I can’t. I’m not even sure if I’m safe. Please, I’ll meet you at the shelter.” And, with that, Lisa disconnected.

 

Safe? Why wouldn’t Lisa feel safe? Where the hell was Lisa calling Kate from, if not from Lisa’s own home? Frustrated, but heading out, she contacted Rodney. When she got no answer, she a left him a message, saying she was heading back down to the women’s shelter. She then sent Simon yet another message.