The Devil's Water: Scenic City Murder Series #1 Read Online Free

drip.
    Carol opened her eyes to complete darkness. She must’ve screamed out because she could hear him laughing. He was taunting her. He liked to do that.
    She sat up and realized she was in the bathtub again. The water was still warm so she figured she couldn’t have been there long. Not like sometimes before.
    Drip.
    She placed her foot in under the faucet and felt a droplet hit her toe. She tried to lean up and touch the faucet but her head felt so heavy and her muscles were aching. Finally, she laid back and slid down in the water.
    He was laughing again. Carol looked around her but could see nothing. It was pitch black. She remembered his night vision goggles. He had worn them before as he was now.
    Carol knew she had been violated. It had happened over and over so much that somewhere along the way she lost count. Sometimes she wouldn’t even be conscious when he raped her. He always made sure, though, that she had the medicine. Once he gave her the medicine she would pass out and not remember anything.
    Drip.
    Now, she was back in an old familiar place. He always made her soak in the tub after he was done with her. Then he would take her back to her room and tie her up again. Carol tried to turn her head but the muscles in her neck ached so badly she couldn’t. The pitch black had scared her once upon a time but now it was more like an old trusted friend. At least the darkness was something she could count on.
    “Get up.” She heard him whisper in her ear. He had to have been just inches from her.
    Carol felt a cold calloused hand grab her by the bicep and give her a tug. Suddenly, she was on her feet standing in the water. He laughed again as she almost fell. She stood in the tub dripping for at least two minutes before she felt his hand on her shoulder pulling her toward him. She stepped out of the tub and heard the squeak of the bathroom door opening as he pushed her outside.
    It was still pitch black. Somewhere above her she could hear Janis Joplin singing about being busted flat in Baton Rouge. The music would go on and on. Day and night he played the music. Sometimes, Carol would scream begging for someone to help. Scream until she could taste blood in the back of her throat. No one ever came. Still, the music would play and play and play.
    Down the corridor Carol walked. She could feel his presence. He was right behind her. Carol counted off the twenty two steps to her room. She knew them all too well. She crawled up on the bed and felt his hands on her arms and legs. He secured them in cuffs which were tied to chains and fastened to the four corners of the bed. With that, he was gone. Carol heard the bedroom door open and shut. Then, she was once again left in the black empty space that had been her room for four weeks.

CHAPTER 6
     
    Tasha Yoder was sitting at Malones drinking a gin and tonic and chatting up a potential date for the night. The guy was gorgeous. Black hair, a tan and about 6’3” inches tall. When he smiled, his teeth were pearly white. His name was Billy and Tasha figured that he was right around her age judging by the light wrinkles around his eyes. Billy was in the process of telling Tasha what he did for a living when her cell phone went off. She checked the number and knew it was Clutch. Damn.
    “Sorry, I have to take this.” Tasha said as she pressed the send button and turned her back to Billy.
    “Yeah.” She answered, perhaps a bit harshly.
    “Did I catch you at a bad time?”
    “Sorta. What’s up?”
    “The ME just called with results from Macy Garcia. No DNA. That’s the bad part.”
    “And?”
    “And they found a drug called Fentanyl in her system.”
    “What the hell is that?” she asked, turning briefly and seeing that Billy was still there.
    “It’s like morphine. At least somewhat. It’s more powerful and, when administered it can pretty much knock you out. I think this is how he incapacitates his victims.”
    “How long are its effects? I mean, how long