pte

e suburbs making half of the interstate packed with half-awake, angry people. His side of the r

nd Steve's black Lexus was the only vehicle on the road. He was out of the heavily populated areas and through the suburbs heading out into state p

he was given; Most of the time the situations he found himself in didn't bear thinking about too closely. Steve looked around and noticed he hadn't

mmercials and info on upcoming concerts. He wasn't in the mood for classical and the country

eve took a deep breath and realized it was her perfume seeping into his car that he smelle

the back of Steve's mind. He swallowed hard and tasted the metallic scent of blood that had mixed with the perfume and leather. Steve rolled down th

l in time to the music and mumbled the lyrics to himself to block out his own thoughts. He dro

he'd visit on his own time, but each visit had been memorable and he knew the w

life protection area. It was a remote, isolated spot that suited Eric just fine. Steve pulled into the flat patch

alled me this morning and the long drive out here you probably didn't have time for much." Eric had a disarm

and still slightly damp from the dishwashing. The handshake was firm but neither of them tried t

stirred two sugar cubes and a dollop of cream into Steve's coffee before handing it to him. It was just the way he liked it. Stev

both politics and religion to keep things polite. When the coffee was done and a second cup declined, Steve sat patiently until

eve swallowed a sigh. Finally. He

ad always been one to jump straight into the pool

different, " He repli

id. "This one co

explained the wound but gave no names or any other identifiers

to take a look and see

t the kitchen and went out to St

ic said, looking

t like to think about this part. It was like getting a flu shot at the doctors,

ife and sliced open the trash bag covering the girl's upper body. He stared at the bullet wo

id. Steve sighed with relief. "S

in three days, " Steve replied.

cradled her in his arms as gently as a virgin bride and carried her into the house. "I'll be right back

then ripped the bags protecting his trunk out and stuffed them in with the girl's effects. As he pulled the las

he trunk. The necklace was wedged into a crevice and he tried to reach it but his fingers just couldn't fit into the little space. He couldn't even get a grip on the chain

sack. Steve stuffed the last of the bags into the filled one, deciding the necklace cou

that

his shoulder like Santa Claus.

er and stopped. He closed his eyes and took a couple of deep breaths. He knew that Eric had an incinerator out back and that all of the girl's clothes and the girl herself would be roasted into ash, with the larger bones ground up and

Beyond pain. Her body is now just an empty shell. Why is this such a problem?" His voice sounded thin. Steve to

That was why this

did Nick tel