Sound of Darkness

He started laughing. “You want to know if I’m The Embracer?” he asked.

“Are you?”

“I just love women. Really love them.”

“But she was found in very bad shape—suffering!” Colleen said.

He waved a hand in the air. “I told you. She wanted it rough.”

“Again, that’s not what she says,” Colleen told him, a certain sadness in her voice.

“It will be her word against mine,” Carver said. “Sad! She’s embarrassed. She doesn’t want to tell the truth. You know how many women are bra-burning liberal bitches, screaming about men being awful creatures? She doesn’t want any of that type coming after her! I helped her! I gave her the love she wanted!”

“Ah. You’re a godsend to women who want it rough but don’t want others to know.”

“Exactly.”

“How many women?”

“Oh, trust me, honey, there have been a few.”

“And you embrace them all? But I’ll bet there are others out there like you.” Colleen asked the question in a teasing mode. She was almost coquettish.

“No one out there is just like me.”

“Ah! So, you’re saying you are The Embracer? The true one and only?”

“I’m not saying that. I’m saying there is no one quite like me. You should find out.”

In the observation room, Mark turned to Ragnar.

“Maybe we should get her out now,” he suggested.

“Soon—let’s see her handle this,” Ragnar said.

Mark knew Ragnar was right; she was a full-fledged agent. She could handle herself.

And she did.

“Oh, not me. I’m not...well, just not into that kind of thing. But I’d love to hear about the other women you’ve known.”

He leaned back, smiling. “I don’t kiss and tell.”

“I see.” Colleen stood up. “Well, thank you for speaking with me.”

“You’re leaving? Already?”

“Yes. We need to speak to another young woman. We found her in a pine box last night. She may have wanted it rough, but I don’t think she liked the coffin at all. Hard to breathe, you know.”

“What?” Carver demanded.

He was seriously ruffled.

And watching the man’s reaction, Mark thought he had been taken off guard.

He hadn’t known.

He wasn’t the person who’d put Dierdre Ayers in the coffin.

“Yes, I guess you have a disciple,” Colleen said. “Again, thank you for speaking with me.”

She moved toward the door; the guard opened it for her.

And Carver screamed after her. “You’re lying! There is no other! There’s me, me, me! I give them love. I—Hey, come back! Come back!”

She turned to face him. “So, you are The Embracer?” she asked softly.

“What? No! I told you—I give women what they really want.”

Colleen simply shrugged and walked out.

“Wait!” Carver shrieked.

It was gratifying to watch the man strain against his cuffs.

And turn a mottled shade of angry red.

Too late. Colleen was already out of the interrogation room.

She met Mark and Ragnar just outside and looked through the one-way glass to observe him.

“Where do we go from here?” she asked them.

“We leave him to stew,” Mark told her.

“I’m not sure I—”

“You did excellently,” Ragnar said.

She looked at Mark.

“You really did,” he agreed. He hoped his tone wasn’t a grudging one.

She had done exactly what he’d asked of her.