Pitiless

Also by Rowan Waters

Samantha Brooks Thrillers

Vileness

Pitiless

Unbreakable (Novella – Available Free)

Sintra Mysteries

From Sintra with Love (2018)

Cracked Diamond (2018)

Deep in the Night (Novella – Available Free 2018)

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UNBREAKABLE: A Sam Brooks Thriller Prequel

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Chapter One

Darkness had fallen. Leaves high on the trees visibly transitioned from a verdant flush to a bruised mass and heaved as though collectively they sensed the pitiless wraith scything through the darkness. Perversely, the wraith embraced the depthless woods, drawing energy from its primal roots. Only the low ambient light cast by the moon rendered the white of darting eyes detectable. The wraith closed its eyes and coalesced into the leaden light. Growing in substance, the shadowy figure took on the outline of a man. He lingered, wrapped in the floating redolence of dank organic detritus and musty fungi, waiting for clouds to scud across the sky before moving on.

Tree branches clawed upwards, etching a sinewy web against the lambent sky. An owl’s liquid warble alerted creatures of the night that the woods were unsafe after dark. In the distance, a lone alarm call responded to the raptor, sending potential prey scuttling as they melted into the woodlands.

The man paused, balanced a gloved hand against the furrowed bark of a hoary tree and scanned the upper foliage, silently applauding the cunning and silent predator. Grudgingly, he furnished an imperceptible nod in acknowledgment.

Clouds blackened the sky once more and he crept from the concealing woods, a fluid shadow flitting across a narrow dirt road. He sprinted up an incline and crested on an extensive lawn. After a quick glance around, he flowed in and out of the diluted shadows and closed in on his target. Muffled music penetrated the glass windows. Undaunted, he forged ahead to the raised wooden deck. In his hand, lock-picking tools gleamed in the pale light spilling from the house.

A woman in silhouette peered into the night before pushing on the sliding door. A pulsating bass beat increased sharply in volume and the repetitive boom boom boom vibrated the air. Barefoot and dressed in a flared skirt and tank top, the woman twirled onto the deck. She dodged an array of outdoor furniture without missing a beat. The dancer’s rhythmical steps continued to the thump of the propulsive bass and her arms snaked sensuously above her head. The giddy movements escalated and her damp hair swung wildly.

The near invisible figure shrunk behind a potted plant and shoved the tools back into his pocket. Maybe he wouldn’t need them after all.

Kendra? You saw it, didn’t you? a woman’s voice called, barely discernible above the racket.

Kendra broke off her twirling, clutched the balustrade and squinted into the dark. You’ve had one hit too many, Misty, she called over her shoulder. There’s nothing there.

Could’ve sworn there was movement on the lawn, yelled Misty deep inside the house.

Nah, you’re seeing things, Kendra said. Then shimmying her hips with each step, she returned to the house. The music dulled when the sliding door slammed shut.

Seconds later, the black form separated from the foliage. Hugging the wall of the house, he edged forward and took the four steps to the deck in two easy strides. Through the glass door, his eyes moved quickly over the disarray in the elegantly furnished room: clothes strewn across the floor and cartons of half-eaten food against the wall. A coffee table had been pushed aside to create a miniature dance floor. A half-empty bottle of Korbel stood on top of the table, along with Tom Collins glasses, two cell phones, a homemade bong and a party-size packet of potato chips.

One of the women broke off her exuberant gyrating, mouthed words while gesturing towards an internal door. She vanished into an adjoining room. The man seized the moment and slid open the door. He headed for the sideboard and grabbed a ridged, elongated stone from the surface.

Uninhibited by the burden of remorse, he readied to strike the woman. She swiveled, eyes frozen wide at the stone suspended above her head. Before comprehension sank in, the stone smashed into her skull. Dazed, she staggered, she swayed, she went down hard. The black-clad man snatched a glance at the pendulum clock then removed a scalpel from his inside jacket pocket. He positioned himself to avoid the inevitable spurt of blood and sliced into each side of the woman’s neck. Hoisting up her skirt, he scored an incision into each soft thigh. The flesh parted like freshly butchered meat. The woman didn’t stand a chance. Within seconds, her eyes flickered and death rattled in her throat as she bled out.

He faded into the corner of the room.

Kendra?

The man kept his breathing in check and stood motionless.

The woman switched on the overhead light. Kendra, what the hell you doing lying on the floor? She shot forward then halted mid-stride, and retched. Oh … my God. No!

The man emerged from the shadows into the bright light and smelled the sourness leaching from the woman’s pores. Their eyes locked and held for an instant. The man got the expected reaction from her. She spun around and sprinted down the passage, striving to reach the safety of the master bedroom. She was surprisingly nimble and it rankled him that she almost made it. A solid blow to the back of her head dropped her two feet from survival. She rolled onto her back, prepared to fight like a grizzly to fend off the merciless attack.

Light winked off the curved edge of the blade as he slashed her neck. Then gripping the woman’s ankles, preventing her legs from scissoring, he punctured her jeans and scored one long line into each thigh. The woman didn’t stand a chance. Within seconds, she bled out.

He pushed up his cuff and checked his watch. His lips quirked in gratification. The four-minute challenge he had set himself had been accomplished and with seconds to spare. Skirting the carpet runner sopping up the blood draining from the motionless figure, he re-entered the living room, set down the heavy stone on the sideboard and shut off the monotonous engineered music. He headed back to the master bedroom, sidestepping the corpse in the passage.

He rifled through the chest of drawers. Slinging the contents onto the floor yielded him nothing of value. From there he went to tackle the walk-in closet. On the floor sat a squat safe, partially hidden by an assortment of highly polished men’s shoes. He jiggled the handle—locked. He stooped down and ran a hand behind the safe, encountering only smooth metal. For a moment, he sat on his haunches thinking. His attention shifted to the shoes. All the footwear pointed to the rear of the closet, except one Oxford shoe in walnut leather. He picked it up. The sole was smooth, exhibiting only a few scuff marks. Turning it upright, he removed the insert.

Christ, he chuckled.

He punched in the sequence of numbers written on the piece of paper and swung open the door, scrunching up and pocketing the paper. He scanned the closet for a bag to stash the jewelry and neatly bundled banknotes. An unerring sense of self-preservation led him to flip through the notes confirming the serial numbers weren’t sequential.

The man surveyed the bedroom for more items to seize. From there he proceeded room-to-room, overturning items, and selecting small valuables to dump in the bag. In the living room, he picked up the two cell phones from the table, powered them down and removed the batteries before shoving them into the bag. Lastly, he killed the overhead light.

Midnight chimed on the pendulum clock. Time to deal with the business end of things. His eyes settled on the inert waxy figure on the makeshift dance floor and he gave a laconic lift of a shoulder. Nothing personal. It is what it is.

Chapter Two

Come on, Lilli, out you get, I said.

Lilli slithered between the front seats. Strands of golden hair snagged on the seat edges and glinted in the morning light. She bounded from the car and flew up the path without having the decency to wait for me. Energetically, she circled trees and poked her nose into stumps of rotting trunks. Keeping a beady eye on the exuberant dog, I slipped the car keys under the driver’s floor mat and checked the time on my phone before shoving it in the side pocket of the door. I shot a glance at Lilli. A deep pile of mulch had her complete attention. Her whiskers and nose were buried into the heart of the muck—in fact, she was up to her eyeballs in the sludge. I laughed, Enjoy.

My name is Samantha Brooks, and eighteen months ago I relocated from Chicago to Clanwallace, a small town in Wisconsin. It was only recently a friend had relented and revealed this particular trail to me. Just as well, as it would’ve taken me forever to discover the hidden gem, there being no signboards to indicate the existence of the trail. Only local outdoor enthusiasts were privy to the secret. Friends in Clanwallace were quick to point out that to be in the know, you needed to have been part of the community for twenty-seven years! Not twenty-five or thirty—exactly twenty-seven years. Small communities are a real hoot. Mind you, with such idyllic surroundings, I wasn’t surprised they refused to broadcast the long held secret.

Rocky descents along with hills that just kept on going peppered the extensive trail and would test both Lilli and me to the maximum. I trotted past my canine friend and whistled. She rocketed ahead before backtracking and plastering her nose to a knot-encrusted tree. All sorts of organic magic must have wafted off the bark. Her front dipped as her nose remained glued to the crusty base, butt aloft and tail swishing.

I’m going to leave you behind, I threatened.

Gravel crunched beneath my shoes as we set off once more. We got into our stride and ran for a few minutes. Lilli slowed her pace and her nose twitched high in the air.

Not a chance, Lilli. You’re not going to chase rabbits.

Lilli ignored my warning, adopted a low-slung hunting mode and veered to her right. She stopped in her tracks and stiffened. Her head sank between her shoulders and she slunk forward. Shit, this was no rabbit hunting approach. Hopefully, she hadn’t spotted a rattler slithering into the tall grass.

I slapped the side of my leg, encouraging Lilli to follow me. Come. We’ve barely warmed up.

Her hackles stood proud and she vaulted forward. I followed in hot pursuit. Dammit, what had captured her attention that she’d become so disobedient?

I scuttled up an incline and crested onto a trimmed lawn. A house soared in front of us. The contemporary style boasted exaggerated glass windows, which took advantage of the never-ending view. On a clear day, the occupants must see forever.

Lilli had conveniently turned deaf and refused to stop. She flew up a set of steps onto the raised deck of the house and weaved through the furniture as if she was in an agility class. I swept up onto the deck, caught my breath, and prepared for the onslaught from the occupants. Lilli’s nails scratched at the aluminum frame of the sliding door. Now my hackles rose at her outlandish behavior. Cupping my hands around my eyes, I peered through the glass. I suppressed a shriek and stumbled back. Grabbing Lilli by the ruff of her neck, I struggled to drag her backwards. Stimulated by the proximity of the source of her interest, she made use of all her wiry strength, wriggled from my grasp and surged forward.

Lilli. Stay!

I tested the sliding door. Cracked it open and sidled through the gap, slamming the door shut before Lilli could scamper inside. My eyes needed a few seconds to adjust to the abrupt transition from bright sunlight to the murkiness of the room.

Hello. Anyone home? I shouted.

Moving into the room, I walked headlong into a noxious miasma hanging thick in the air. An unhealthy odor Lilli had incredibly detected on the breeze. The skin on the nape of my neck prickled and every fiber in my body stiffened. I licked my lips, depositing a peculiar metallic taste on my tongue. Swallowing hard, I tried to suppress the smell of death jarring my mind. The memory of decomposed bodies still haunted me. I wanted to turn tail and escape the tainted air but couldn’t move. The relentless ticking of the pendulum clock competing with the oppressive silence pervading the living room, brought me sharply back to the present. I stowed one tragedy away in the far recesses of my mind to concentrate on another.

My eyes swept over the room. The area was a mess. Blood spattered walls, lamps overturned, throw cushions dumped on the floor and DVDs spilled from their covers near an empty TV stand. Cables from absent electronic items snaked along the surface. Digging deep, I forced my eyes to settle on the body awash in crimson. The woman’s skirt, pushed to her waist, exposed thighs stained by linear discolorations. I inched forward, conscious of every beat of my heart. Avoiding the jellied puddles, I sank to my haunches and stretching forward, forced a finger onto the woman’s wrist where her pulse should have been but detected no telltale flutter. I faltered and toppled onto my butt at the waxiness of her skin. The texture was like a celluloid doll—cold and unyielding to the touch. Shuddering at the sensation, I covered my mouth and heaved myself up.

Lilli’s nails attacked the glass door and her whines never flagged. I cocked my head and listened for anyone else in the house. Then edging around the body, I tiptoed out the living room and into a passage. My pulse hit warp speed. My eyes slid from arcing threads of blood on the walls onto a second woman lying face up. Half her body lay on top of a runner and the other half on the hardwood floor. Blood had seeped through the weave of the carpet and formed brownish-red rivulets before gumming at the edges and damming. I rushed to her side, harboring a sliver of hope. No need to check her pulse—her vacuous eyes were trapped in a glassy stare for eternity.

My gaze switched to an open door. In the bedroom, drawers were pulled from their runners and the contents strewn across the floor. From my limited experience, it appeared the two women had disturbed a burglar, ending in tragedy. Without further inspection, I returned to the living room, ducked out the door and breathed in the sweetest of air. Lilli greeted me as if I’d been gone for days. She pushed her nose into the palm of my hand, then high-stepped back. An ominous growl burbled deep in her chest.

Let’s go, I said.

Adrenaline drove me across the lawn and down the incline. I ripped open the car door and Lilli shot inside and settled on the passenger seat. I got behind the wheel and reached for my phone, wondering whether Harley would take my call.

He did. Sam?

You need to come quickly.

What’s going on?

Murder, I shouted into the brightness of the day.

Murder?

Lilli and I were preparing to go for a run behind Henshill when she got all twitchy and took off. I followed her to one of those houses behind Breakneck Trail. Shit it was awful.

What was awful?

A woman lay dead in the living room. There’s blood everywhere. I would never have believed a human body could hold that much blood.

How is it you found her? he breathed. Did you go inside?

I hesitated. Um, yeah. Before Harley responded, I added, I couldn’t leave her lying on the floor without checking if she was still alive.

What if the killer was still inside? Did you think of that? You could have been next.

My eyelids dropped fleetingly. Harley, I sighed. Just come.

Stay where you are. Lock yourself in the car. I’m on my way, he said.

Shouldn’t I meet you on Stilton Drive? The house must back up to the road.

We can’t knock on every door. Better we enter from the rear.

Okay, just hurry, I said, as if it would make a difference.

Ten minutes later, Harley’s SUV skidded to a stop behind my car. Brad, his deputy, shadowed him in his cruiser. Doctor Murray completed the mini procession in his Porsche 356. The beaut of a car with its worn out paint and sun-baked interior was a gearhead’s dream.

Harley exited his black SUV and I followed suit from my car. We kept a healthy distance from each other.

Where’s the house? he asked.

Up yonder. I gestured into the distance. And you have two bodies on your hands.

Harley’s lips twisted. Two? You didn’t mention two.

Yeah, well. I shrugged off my oversight.

Let’s go. Harley then asked, straight-faced, Will you find the house again?

Hilarious. If need be Lilli will be my personal GPS. I turned. Hey, Doc, Brad.

Sam, the two men said in unison. Their eyes flitted between Harley and me.

I secured a harness around Lilli and attached her leash. Thankfully, this time she clung to my side. I had expected her to rip me off my feet in anticipation of returning to the bloody scene. We all trotted down the path until I could gauge at what point we needed to scurry up the incline.

This looks about right, I said.

We shot up the hill and I sighed in relief at the sight of the house, albeit further along than I had judged. Doc tripped over a tuft of grass, knocking his medical bag from his hand. Brad dashed to retrieve it before it rolled to the bottom of the hill. I stuck out a hand and assisted Doc to his feet.

Thanks, he said.

I’ll carry your bag, Doc, Brad said.

Doc swung his ponytail off his shoulder. That’s okay, I can manage.

Is that the house? Harley asked.

Yeah, I answered.

Okay, you can go. We’ll take it from here.

Not a chance.

Sam, it’s not a suggestion. Brad will get a statement from you later.

No.

Harley’s eyebrows arched and then he gave an unresponsive shrug. The five of us traveled towards the house in silence.

Doc hurried to my side and asked, Has Ted finished the renovations?

I shook my head. Still a way to go.

So you’re still unemployed?

For the moment. Why?

Just asking, Doc said.

Lilli jerked forward, drawing my attention off Doc’s odd question. I shortened my grip on the leash as Harley steered us onto the deck.

Was the door shut when you got here? Harley asked.

Yes, but unlocked, I said.

Harley drew his weapon and slid the door open. He and Brad stepped inside while shouting their presence. Lilli gave a sharp bark when Harley disappeared.

As an afterthought, Harley returned and stuck his head out the door. Stay out here, Sam.

I restrained myself from any eye rolling. Sure. The second woman is at the end of the passage, I offered helpfully.

What’s up with you two? Doc asked.

Before I answered, Harley gave Doc the all clear to enter.

If you want to talk …, Doc offered and then went inside.

Through the opening, I watched Doc kneel next to the woman and press two fingers to her neck. She bled out, Harley, Doc said Judging by the amount of blood it was within seconds.

While the professionals continued with their duties, Lilli and I descended the steps onto the lawn. I turned back and examined the exterior of the house. Mounted in each corner was a CCTV camera. Daylight prevented me seeing whether any red light glowed.

A paved pathway led up the side of the property. I strolled along the winding path, between the towering house and a high hedge bordering the property. In the front, parked off to the side of the triple garage, was a dated compact car, possibly a Hyundai hatchback. I glanced up at the front walls of the house for additional security cameras. Three were present—one trained on the sweeping driveway and the other two concentrated on the periphery of the property. They might hold crucial evidence of the attack. As I stood staring up, the front door clicked and Brad appeared, his hand resting on his holster.

I walked towards him, commenting, Difficult to believe this is a high crime area.

It isn’t. What makes you say that?

Security cameras cover the entire property.

Brad’s brow creased at the sight of the cameras. This is an exclusive neighborhood and the residents feel secure with private security on hand at the press of a button. Lucky break if the culprit’s mug was caught on video, he said. As long as they have a backup system. The breaker switch was tripped.

Robbery? I asked.

Seems that way. The house has been thoroughly tossed. TV is missing and the safe in the bedroom is wide open and empty. Probably there’s more gone but we won’t know until the family of the deceased takes a look.

Harley walked out the front door, his phone clamped to his ear. The sooner the better, he said, before adding, Doctor Murray will be conducting the autopsies here in Clanwallace. We’re waiting on the mortuary van. Harley listened. Yeah, he’s taken the necessary photographs. Everything else is for you. Harley disconnected.

Forensics on their way? Brad asked.

Yes, shouldn’t be too long. Brad, go see if Doc needs help then interview the neighbors. You know the drill.

Brad’s mouth opened as if he was about to say something. Instead, he turned around and disappeared into the house.

Harley and I stood a few feet apart. I ran a hand back and forth over Lilli’s back and broke the awkward silence. Do you recognize the women inside?

No. However, I did find their purses with ID and at least I have their names. Now to locate next of kin.

Don’t envy you having to tell their family.

He raked fingers through his hair. Uh-huh.

Um, have they been dead long?

Couple of hours. Harley reached out a hand, changed his mind and quickly withdrew it. You okay?

Yeah. What a stilted conversation. So they haven’t been dead that long?

Doc’s best estimate is that they died around midnight.

Did you notice all the cameras? I asked, thumbing skywards.

Yeah. There are a couple inside as well.

All right then. May as well take Lilli home before Jim panics, I said.

Harley nodded. Bye, Sam.

Um, I said.

Questioning eyes settled on me. Yeah?

I shook my head. Nothing. Bye.

An invitation to my place was on the tip of my tongue. Instead, I chickened out, tugged Lilli’s leash and ambled back to my car.

Chapter Three

I cursed my stupid pride as I slipped Lilli’s harness over her head and bundled her into the car, dumping the leash and harness on the passenger seat. Then I fired up my old Mini, waited the prerequisite minutes for it to warm before slotting into gear. I wound down Stilton Drive intending to return home; instead, I veered off, drove into Clanwallace and pulled in at The Clan Diner to check on the progress of the renovations.

Ted, the owner and my boss, had sprung the unexpected one morning over coffee. He was going to refurbish and enlarge the premises. Now I was temporarily stuck without a job and bored out of my mind.

I slotted in next to Ted’s beast of a truck. The scaffolding on the front wall formed a giant game of chutes and ladders. Mountains of building rubble waited for an empty dumpster. I phoned Jim to let him know Lilli would be home shortly then climbed out the car. Her majesty jumped down from the front seat. We walked between two beat-up pick-ups. Lilli jerked to a stop and gave each tire the obligatory whiff. Satisfied all was well with the world, she bolted forward to the front door.

A large stone propped open the door and I shifted aside, allowing a wheelbarrow wielding man to exit. He nodded at me and cooed at my companion. The interior was an empty shell and the cool air smelled of wet plaster. All the blue and white Mediterranean furnishings I had come to love were gone. Memories associated with those early days in Clanwallace came flooding back. Colorful characters like Granny Alice and her love of scones topped with whipped cream and preserve, a shot of neat brandy on the side washed down by a cup of tea, brought a smile to my lips. It was in this space I had first set eyes on Harley. I remembered marveling at the tall good-looking police chief that moved with the grace of a seasoned athlete as he entered the diner.

I shook off the memory. It only made me sad at my recent choices. Ted, you here? I called, and walked into the stripped down kitchen.

Over here.

Ted was flat on his stomach, nose to the ground and peering down a narrow slot in the floor. Lilli rushed across and licked the moisture and grime off his face.

He rolled onto his butt and I held out my hand. He grabbed it and hoisted himself upright. Licks of black hair were glued to his face. I swooped down and hugged him hello.

You look exhausted, I said.

I am. But it’ll be worth the effort.

Is Fumbler around?

He’s taken off for a few days. Gone to see Sheila.

I nodded. You’ll never guess what happened this morning.

Ted pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the moisture from his face. Should I be afraid to ask? he laughed.

What is it with you guys?

Don’t know what you mean.

I’ll ignore that. I stumbled across two bodies in a house near Henshill, behind Breakneck Trail. Actually, it was Lilli’s fault. The blood must have roused her sense of smell and she went haring off. Two women were dead on the floor. Ugh. I shuddered.

My God, Sam. That’s terrible.

Another sight that will be hard to unsee.

Not easy, he said. I feel for you.

"Yeah,