Epiphany: Part 1 by Gemma James

Author:Gemma James [James, Gemma]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gemma James
Published: 2015-01-29T05:00:00+00:00

As soon as I returned home, I went straight to my laptop and typed in two words: Boise Hangman.

The search results were overwhelming. On the first page alone, I found links to Wikipedia, several true crime sites, and a dozen or more articles published by the local media in Boise, the most popular of which was the Idaho Statesman. I wasn’t sure where to begin—the information was massive. I would need a considerable amount of caffeine for this. I poured a strong-brewed cup of coffee and returned to my computer, mug in hand, and began digging.

The Boise Hangman had surfaced three years ago, named for the city he terrorized and his method of killing. His first victim had been a bartender named Colette James. She’d been in her mid-twenties and a native of Boise. They found her body two days after Valentine’s Day. A month after Colette’s murder police discovered a second victim, Desiree Hammond, who had been an exotic dancer. Several more women were found, and a steady pattern was established.

But then the killing had stopped about eight months ago. Until now.

Taking a sip of coffee that had gone tepid, I leaned back in my chair and processed what I’d learned. The killer had taunted the media, and one name had come up numerous times. A.J. Payne, a reporter for the Idaho Statesman, had written the majority of press concerning the Hangman. The bodies had piled high as law enforcement continued their efforts in bringing a killer to justice and calming the rising panic taking hold of Boise.

I swallowed hard as I thought of the victims—a list so long, I couldn’t stomach the idea of branding my mind with so many names. They’d been found within a twenty-five mile radius of the city, and they’d all been brutally raped and hanged. I shuddered. To think Six could suffer the same fate, that maybe she already had, was too horrible to imagine.

What I couldn’t reconcile was why a notorious serial killer would choose a tiny town like Watcher’s Point to terrorize. He’d disappeared off the radar for months, and then suddenly he was killing again in another town and sending more taunting notes to the media?

What had motivated him to cross state lines?

The computer screen blurred before my eyes as I tried to come up with a valid explanation, though none was forthcoming. Exhaustion skewed my ability to think logically. I got up and stretched the stiffness from my muscles. I wouldn’t sleep. Not yet. Not until Six was home safe.

I grabbed my library card and headed next door, grateful that my flighty friend never slowed long enough to lock the deadbolt. After a few swipes of the card, the door clicked open. I began my search in her living room, though I had no idea what I expected to find. Maybe some clue to her whereabouts? A flashing neon arrow pointing me in the right direction?

Snorting at the thought, I headed for her computer. Password protected. Damn. After several failed attempts, I gave up and went to search the desk drawers.

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