Fourth Victim Read Online Free PDF Page B

coveralls. “Somebody made mashed potatoes outta his skull. The other four victims were shot, right?”
    “Nine mills, either in the chest or the back of the head. At least that’s what it said in the paper. They musta dumped the body here, ditched the truck over there, and split.”
    “I don’t like it.”
    “Doesn’t fit, huh?”
    “None of it does. I guess we gotta go tell the cops,” Joe said, getting to his feet.
    “Not so fast, Joe. I think maybe we better just phone this one in anonymously.”
    “Why?”
    “Because Tim Hoskins is the lead detective.”
    “Fuck!”
    “Yeah,” Healy seconded, “fuck.”

[Zeus]
F RIDAY, J ANUARY 7TH, 2005—BEFORE SUNRISE
    T hey sat across the desk from each other, sipping their 7/Eleven coffees and reading the paper. A grainy photo of Alberto Jimenez was on the front page of
Newsday,
but there were scant details about the latest victim or the methods used by the newly dubbed Oilman Murderer. Some hotshot at the copy desk was probably jerking off over having come up with that one. It wasn’t as catchy as Zodiac or Son of Sam nor were the victims teenage girls or prostitutes. Still, nothing gets the news media’s juices flowing like a serial killer. Healy put his paper down.
    “Anything about the anonymous phone call?”
    “Nope.”
    “I see you’re not dressed for delivering oil. Nice suit, Joe.”
    “Marla picked it out.”
    “I haven’t wanted to ask, but—”
    “It’s okay,” Joe said, his expression belying his words. “She’s living back home with her folks. She lost her job.” “That sucks. Is she getting help?”
    “Yeah, but it’s not helping. This Post-traumatic shit doesn’t go away overnight. I’ve been reading about it on the internet. Christ, Bob, she’s a fucking psychologist and still it doesn’t mean a thing. Those Russian motherfuckers ruined her. Getting involved with me ruined her.”
    Healy didn’t say a word. Joe was punishing himself over Marla the same way he had punished himself over Mary. He understood that it was worse for Joe. Marla was still alive and slipping further and further out of Joe’s reach. And the ugly truth was, Serpe was right. If Marla hadn’t gotten involved with him, the Russians couldn’t have used her as leverage.
    “Do you know how many times they threatened to kill her that night? That sick fuck Pavel stuck his hand inside her and made her lick his fingers off while he held a knife to her throat, he beat her, held a gun to her head. For chrissakes, Bob, they made her watch a guy being hacked to pieces with a chainsaw. A fucking chainsaw!” Joe bit his fist in frustration. “By the time she moved out, she wouldn’t let me touch her. She’d wake up screaming. She was scared all the time. And there wasn’t a thing I could do about it. Not a fucking thing!”
    “But there is something you can do about this!” Healy said, slapping his hand against the front page of the paper. “You’re the one with the debt here, partner, not me. Try and remember that. So what’s the plan?”
    “I’m going to start casting the big net, asking around all the companies who lost a driver. Maybe there’s a link the cops aren’t seeing. With Hoskins catching the cases, that wouldn’t surprise me. Then I’m going to pay a call to the Monacos.”
    “And me?”
    “You get the easy part.”
    “I’m gonna love this.” Healy rolled his eyes.” I can tell already.”
    “You’re gonna call your little brother George the ADA and get all the info on the homicides that they’re not printing in the papers.”
    “Oh, is that all? Should I also sprout wings and fly like an angel? That would be easier.”
    “The wings are optional.”
    “Fuck you.”
    “While you’re at it, call your homies at IAB and get a hold of Monaco’s jacket.”
    “That I can do. It won’t be easy, but—”
    The phone rang and Healy answered, “Mayday Fuel, good morning.” When he turned back around, Joe Serpe was gone.
    While