Faces of Evil [2] Impulse Read Online Free PDF Page A

wearing gloves? Or anything in an attempt to camouflage or distort his face? Anything at all?”
    “No mask, no sunglasses. Nothing like that.” She hesitated. “But he was wearing gloves. The latex kind like the doctors and nurses wear except they seemed thicker.” Realization dawned in her eyes. “Like my beautician wears when she colors my hair.”
    “Thank you, Mrs. Wells.” Jess pushed to her feet. “We may have additional questions for you later.”
    Jess left Harper with the woman and went into the kitchen.
    Burnett had gotten the same story from the daughter, Terri.
    When Terri had returned to the living room to join her mother, and he and Jess were alone, Burnett asked, “Why would he let them see his face?”
    Good question. With no good answer.
    Until two months ago, Spears had been nothing more than a wealthy, reclusive businessman based in Richmond as far as the world around him had known. Then Jess’s investigation had drawn a line from him to at least six heinous murders committed by the serial killer dubbed the Player. This previously unknown subject, the Player, had eluded authorities for a minimum of five years. . . and his body count had risen to at least thirty. No matter that her investigation had fallen apart, Jess knew for a certainty – at least in her mind – that Spears was the Player. But she couldn’t prove it. There wasn’t a single piece of evidence tying him to so much as a parking ticket, much less a murder.
    The Bureau had had no choice but to let him go. The ensuing media frenzy regarding the botched investigation had rendered a devastating blow to Jess’s career. Her superior had sentenced her to administrative leave until the dust settled. She had jumped at the first opportunity to get the hell out of Virginia. But she’d made a mistake in coming here, to her hometown of Birmingham.
    He had followed her.
    Now suddenly he abducts a police detective and leaves two witnesses who can identify him as Eric Spears?
    There was something very, very wrong with that picture.
    The most probable scenario was that Spears was prepared for this to be his final game, in this country at least. Jess had brought scrutiny to his life and, to some degree, he would never escape the shadow of suspicion she’d cast. That new reality cramped his style. If this was his swan song, the game and whatever he deemed his goal were all that counted. He wouldn’t care who saw him. He was out of here anyway. But then, why wear gloves? That part didn’t add up.
    Harper appeared at the door. “Ma’am, Mrs. Wells needs to speak with you.”
    Jess and Burnett exchanged a look before moving into the living room. The techs were making a mess of Mrs. Wells’ tidy home. She and her daughter remained on the sofa, clinging desperately to each other.
    Mrs. Wells looked up at Jess. “You’re Agent Harris?”
    No need to explain that was likely only temporary. The Bureau would never allow her to resume her duties at Quantico even if she wanted to. At the very least, she would be shipped off to some low profile assignment where she couldn’t screw up anything important. “Yes, I’m Agent Harris.”
    Mrs. Wells started to speak, then put her hand over her trembling lips for a moment as she composed herself. “Terri reminded me that he – that awful man – told us to give Agent Harris a message.”
    Ice filled Jess’s veins. “What was the message, Mrs. Wells?”
    She blinked rapidly to staunch the tears. “He said to tell Agent Harris that she knows what he wants.”
    Jess nodded, let the words penetrate fully.
    Spears was right.
    She knew exactly what he wanted.

3
    Second Avenue Flowers & Gifts, 12:15 p.m.
    He opened the door.
    A bell jingled overhead.
    The smell that hit him reminded him of death. He hated that smell. Resurrected memories of his sad mother and his pathetic father. He should never have allowed them to live in misery so very long. They had been much happier once he’d planted them in the