Seeking Evil (Looking Into The Mind Of A Killer Series) by Mary Eason Page A

“ Aaron had gotten involved with Cheryl long before the divorce. ”
    R ick sucked in a breath. “How’d Sorenson let that happen?”
    At Rick’s naïve question, John actually smirked. Had the man never been in love, or at least lust, for God’s sake? “I guess Aaron was thinking with other parts of his body when it came to Cheryl Larsen.” John certainly understood the concept. He’d thrown every sense of training and caution to the wind when it came to his own relationship with Anna, telling himself it was okay. After all , she was divorced and Aaron had cheated on her.
    He shook his head. “Look, I’m not going to try and defend his actions or mine for that matter. A aron was having an affair with Cheryl long before the first Rock Creek killer emerged. Years maybe. That’s why he took such a personal interest in Cheryl’s stalking case.”
    Rick’s gaze never left his. “Damn.” He breathed out the word, his tone coming as close to astonishment as it got for Rick. “Still, I don ’ t buy it. He obviously framed an innocent man. ”
    “ Peterson wasn ’ t innocent. He was obsessed with Cheryl Larsen. He followed her everywhere. She was terrified of him. ”
    “ But he didn ’ t kill her. ” Rick stated the obvious.
    No, Peterson hadn ’ t killed Cheryl. He ’ d killed Aaron and in the process, he ’ d destroyed all their lives.
    “ I read the Larsen file. Aaron was convinced Peterson was the killer without any substantiating evidence. He went after Peterson even before Cheryl ’ s murder. He stepped over the line because of her. ”
    John certainly couldn ’ t deny it, but he wasn ’ t prepared to share the extent of those secrets with Rick. Not now. Not after seeing t he woman he hadn ’ t been able to get out of his head .
    “ This is getting us nowhere. If you want to ruin the reputation of one of the Bureau ’ s best agents then go ahead. If you want to help me solve this case before another innocent victim is murdered then let ’ s go over the facts as we know them. ”
    “ As we know them or as you ’ re willing to share them? ” Rick stared at him across his steaming cup. When John made no attempt to dignify the remark, Rick blew out a n annoyed sigh. “ Okay, got it. Let ’ s go over the facts again. ”
    Rick picked up the case files John had brought with them. It was from the original murders, while John tried to control the shakes. He thought he ’ d buried deep Aaron and his own lies. He thought that with Aaron ’ s death their secrets were safe. He ’ d been wrong.
    And now two more women were dead and Anna ’ s life was in danger.
    “ Janice Daniels, thirty-three, the first victim. Her body was found a short distance from the central jogging path behind some scrubs. Stabbed forty plus times, the killer ’ s rage was obvious. Two weeks later, Belinda Cardwell— ” Rick broke off as the coffee house clerk, sloshing coffee from a full pot, headed their way. John waved her off. Coffee could wait. No one needed to hear these things. They were bad enough for a seasoned professional.
    “ Belinda Cardwell, twenty-seven, was found at the opposite end of the park, same basic MO. The killer stabbed her thirty-nine times. I guess he got tired. ”
    “ Or someone interrupted him. ”
    “ Both women weren ’ t killed at the park. Their bodies had been transported there. The killer wanted them found but he didn ’ t want to be caught. The park is usually very busy during the daytime. He must have dropped them off sometime between sunset and dawn. Which leaves an awful lot of time for the killer to work with.
    “ Then there ’ s Cheryl Larsen, ” Rick concluded.
    “ Wait a minute. Let ’ s hold off on Cheryl for a second. We found prior notes at both Janice Daniels and Belinda Cardwell ’ s homes, correct ?”
    “ Yes. But neither woman appeared worried about them. Or, i f they were they didn ’ t make a report, tell a friend. And neither reported having any problems