Sound of Darkness

“You’re going in now, right?” Ragnar asked.

Mark debated what action to take. They could leave, and he could feel he was right. Carver was The Embracer.

The man had been angry someone else out there was putting women in boxes. He had almost confessed.

Maybe he could clinch it.

Mark nodded and left Ragnar, Colleen, and Red behind the glass, thanking the guard who opened the door for him.

“What the hell?” Carver said.

“Yeah, what the hell?” Mark echoed.

“Send the broad back in. Or the dog. The dog is probably smarter than any of you.”

Mark shook his head. “I can’t let Red in. He’d try to chew your face off. He knows you threatened to kill him.”

“Right. A dog.”

“You said he was smart.”

“Smarter than you guys. That’s not saying much.”

“Smarter than you, since I’m just sitting in a chair, and you’re cuffed to a table.”

Carver shook his head. “I’ll be out of here. Illegal entry.”

“Probable cause,” Mark said, smiling. “But, hey, you’ll have your day in court. And I’m afraid the victim we found in your basement is not in love with you in any way. You will go down on a kidnapping charge.”

“She wanted me.”

“In your dreams. So, how many women have you killed?”

Carver leaned back. “You don’t understand. I love them. Take the beauty who was just in here.”

“My partner,” Mark said.

“And you treat her like garbage. You think you’re superior. I treat women like they’re queens. I give them what they want. And I’d sure like to see her again.”

“Wouldn’t you, now? But that could be a problem. She’s not a victim. She’s not weak. She’s not easily fooled.”

“They can all be fooled,” Carver said softly.

“What? Did you pull the ‘I’m injured! I need help!’ bit on them?” Mark asked.

“Trust me, they can all be fooled.”

“I’ll ask you again. How many did you kill?”

“Numbers...and I didn’t kill any of them. I just loved them.” He paused and smiled. “I embraced them with my love!”

“You’re a hell of a liar.”

“Am I? You haven’t got anything on me. You found a woman in my basement. It’s her word against mine.”

Mark smiled and shrugged. “I think her word is going to ring true to a jury. And the pictures taken at the hospital will speak volumes. You need to make up your mind. You’re either The Embracer, or a pathetic wannabe.”

“I’m not a pathetic anything. Ask your girlie out there!”

“I don’t think she has much of an opinion of you.”

“You didn’t see her face up close and personal.”

“She’d kick your ass, Carver. And you couldn’t take that, could you? Being beaten silly by a woman.”

Carver sat back. “No bitch kicks my ass!”

“So, you’re just a wannabe.”

“I didn’t say that.”

Mark shrugged. He started to rise, but Carver was speaking again, and it was strange because it seemed he was speaking aloud to himself, almost as if he had forgotten Mark was there.

“No one, no one, not the toughest guy in the world, is invulnerable. No one. And when it comes to a woman...” He stopped speaking, as though jolted by an invisible force. He looked at Mark and smiled. “You have no evidence against me,” he said.

“Don’t we?” Mark asked quietly.

Then he did rise to leave. And again, Carver was agitated, struggling against his restraints.

“A dog dies when it’s shot!” he shouted.

Mark ignored him and kept heading for the door.