Silent Death: A Chilling Serial Killer Thriller (A Caine & Murphy Thriller Book 3) Read online

  “I can do three o’clock today. That’s the earliest I can book a room.”

  “I’ll be there. I know it’s a big ask and from someone you haven’t heard from in forever.”

  “Don’t even worry about it. I cared deeply for your father and I want to help you in any way I can.”

  Madeleine had called Sara with explicit instructions on meeting her in an underground viewing room at UCLA and Sara got to the vault just shy of three o’clock. She recognized the tall woman who opened the door immediately. Madeleine gave her a warm hug.

  “It’s so good to see you, Sara,” she said as she stepped back.

  “Likewise. I recognized you from all the dinner parties my parents held.”

  “Your parent’s loved to host.” Sara nodded as her eyes misted over. It’d been a long time since she talked about her parents with someone who knew them.

  “Is that the nitrate film?” Madeleine pierced through Sara’s nostalgia. Sara nodded and handed the film canister to her. Madeleine took out a pair of soft, cotton gloves and opened the canister. She took the spool out and found a yellow sticky note attached to the bottom of the canister. Johan had written the name Janice Hollebeck on it. Sara recognized his spidery scrawl.

  “Do you know who this is? Or is this your friend who’s in trouble?

  “My friend wrote that. His name is Johan. Johan Luken. I’ve never heard of a Janice Hollebeck?” Sara said.

  Madeleine studied the film and whistled. “It’s in fantastic shape for something so old. I don’t know of any company that still makes nitrate film. That means this must be at least seventy-eight years old. Its condition is immaculate. I’ve never seen nitrate film in this kind of condition.” Madeleine said as she fed the film into the projector.

  She turned the projector on and turned the light off, plunging them into darkness. The square of light in front of them blinded Sara until her eyes adjusted to the contrast.

  “I didn’t see a sound track on the film so this will be MOS,” Madeleine explained. “That means there is no synced sound.”

  They sat in silence for several seconds, riveted by the empty screen. Sara tensed up as a pretty, young woman’s face filled the screen. The camera pulled back to frame her face in what appeared to be a window. The woman opened her mouth and emitted a silent scream. The veins in her neck popped out and tears ran down her face. She paced away from the window and tore at her clothes.

  The young woman turned towards the camera with a look of hate. One moment she was crying, the next moment she was at the window, pounding hard enough on it to break skin. Her blood smudged on the window as clawed at her neck. Her mouth opened in small O’s and Sara could see her chest up and down rapidly.

  “She’s asphyxiating,” Madeleine whispered as the young woman succumbed to her fight.

  “Stop the film,” Sara said. “Look, did you see that?” Madeleine froze the frame and the lifeless body.

  “This can’t be that old. Look at her watch!”

  “They stopped producing it in the thirties. When they found out how unstable the film was, they stopped production on it and developed one that wasn’t combustible.”

  “I know that watch. It’s a G-shock watch. That design was just introduced last year,” Sara said.

  “Where would anybody find nitrate film in such good condition?” Madeleine asked, turning the projector back on. “I don’t want to heat the film too much.”

  The camera stayed on the collapsed woman until her chest stopped moving. The film ran out, and the flapping made Sara jump out of her seat.

  “That was a snuff film, wasn’t it?” Madeleine asked.

  “This scared a grown man, and now he says he’s in trouble. It has to be real.” Sara said.

  “That poor girl. What a horrible way to die. Why didn’t your friend take this to the police?” Madeleine said as she switched on the lights. Sara was thankful for the blinding light.

  “The bigger question is who is Janice Hollebeck?”

  3

  Sara Caine cursed Johan one last time as she stood waiting for former LAPD detective Eva Murphy to open the door. A rustling came from behind the door and stopped Sara from ringing the bell again. She waited for Eva to open the door, albeit impatiently. She hadn’t spoken to Eva since the falling out with Johan after the Torso murders. In the dividing of friends, Sara let Johan keep Eva. She didn’t feel as close to her as Johan was. Eva surprised her by opening her door a crack. She looked rough, Sara thought.

  “Sara. I wasn’t expecting you. You need to call first. I’m not up for seeing any visitors right now.” Eva said and was about to disappear into the house. Sara placed her hand on the wood to stop its momentum.

  “It’s Johan. He’s in trouble and I need your help. He gave me a film showing a woman being murdered.” Sara blurted out.

  “Take it to the police, I’m not a detective anymore. My specialty is insurance claims now. I needed a break from all the dead bodies.” Eva said.

  “I can’t. If Johan didn’t take this to the police, there’s a reason why. Please, help me. For him at least.” Sara was not too proud to beg. She sighed in relief when Eva motioned for her to come inside. “Thank you so much,” she said and stepped inside.

  Sara understood why Eva Murphy didn’t want to let her in. The last time Sara was in Eva’s home was when they argued over letting a ghost possess her. That time, the place had been neat and clean and well decorated.

  Now the mid-century modern home showed serious wear and tear. Empty booze glasses littered the coffee table and old drink rings formed a dull pattern over the rest of the surface. A pile of clothes moldered in the corner and the place smelled ripe.

  “I’m sorry this place in such a mess. I’m not in my right mind,” Eva said and picked up the glasses from the coffee table.

  “Don’t worry about it. I understand what it’s like to have too much on your mind. Johan thrust this mess into my hands without telling me what he was involving me in. I’m terrified about him. Someone murdered this girl in the last year.” Sara said.

  “Start from the beginning,” Eva said and sat down in the chair in front of her. Eva’s pupils grew wide and then shrunk into pinpricks. The ghost named Anderson must still inhabit Eva’s body, she thought. No wonder her place looked trashed.

  “I’m not sure when last you spoke to Johan, but we broke up. I went back to working on film sets and hadn’t heard from him in over five months. He showed up at set today, got me fired, and gave me this film before disappearing. I tried calling him numerous times, but he’s not picking up. Have you seen him?” Sara asked. Eva shook her head no. Sara continued, “He has lost a lot of weight and, I swear, he hasn’t slept in days. I don’t know how much he’s told you about his obsession with a demon named Asmodeus but I have to assume he’s gotten into trouble because of him.”

  Eva had zoned out again. “I hope you don’t mind me asking this but are you okay?”

  Eva gave her a wan smile. “I’m fine. It’s been a rough transition from being a cop to a civilian. I’ve wanted to be police since I was tiny. I never thought I’d not be able to do this job. I can tell you this much, what they say is true. I’ll always be a cop at heart. For now, however, insurance fraud is enough for me.” Sara doubted Eva was telling her the truth, but she wasn’t about to pry. After all, Johan was much closer to Eva. She had to stop thinking of him in the past tense.

  “I wish I didn’t have to bring this to you but I don’t have any other contacts like you. Please, can you take a look at this and tell me what you see. I’d hate to go further with this if it’s only a hoax.” Sara took an unmarked DVD out of her purse. “This is a copy of the film that Johan gave me. The original was shot on nitrate film, which is extremely combustible so I don’t carry it around. Madeleine Richards, a teacher at UCLA, made this copy for me to show you.”

  “Nitrate film? Wasn’t that what silent films were shot on? In the nineteen thirties? Is this from then?”

  “
That’s what’s so weird. The film is in perfect condition and what the girl is wearing makes little sense for the nineteen thirties. You’ll see what I’m talking about if you watch it.”

  Eva stared at the offered DVD as if the thing would bite her. Sara hated herself for doing it but she shifted closer and stuck it in her player.

  The image of the woman in the antique room came on screen in black and white. “To my untrained eye, this looks like a silent film. Could Johan have found some ancient snuff film?” Eva asked as the woman on the film choked. Her eyes rolled up into the back of her head as she hit the window glass.

  “The camera is on the other side of this window. It doesn’t look like the camera moves. He made the room airtight and shut off the air supply. That kind of setup needs space and privacy.” Eva said as she leaned in closer. The woman’s eyes flew open, and she hit the window hard enough for her skin to crack. Sara remembered the smeared blood from the last viewing and turned away. Eva kept the DVD running to the end. The lifeless body of the woman filled the screen.

  “There,” Sara pointed at the woman’s watch. “That watch. A coworker’s husband gave her that exact watch. It was a brand-new design from two years ago.”

  “That’s not good,” Eva said and shook her head. “This is what I’m gathering from your information. This killer found perfect nitrate film from the 1930s and had enough knowledge to shoot on it. He has a place where he built an airless room to film this woman dying. He wanted it known this is not a film from the 1930s but more recent since he let her keep the watch on. That was on purpose. He went to all that trouble to dress her in vintage clothing but left that incongruent detail. Why? It can’t be a coincidence. There will be more films like this. This is also not this man’s first time.” Eva concluded.

  “Will you help me?”

  “I want nothing to do with this. And you shouldn’t be investigating this either. Shame on Johan for involving you in the first place. Where can you even get nitrate film? This, this is another perp who wants his work seen by the world. I haven’t heard of any bodies being found recently in the Los Angeles area,” she said. Sara looked up at that. Eva wasn’t completely out of the game. She was monitoring bodies found.

  “Tell me this doesn’t at least pique your interest?”

  “This will be another one of those weird ones. Someone who is referencing the 1930s? He could have as easily shot it on his phone. No body means he’s figured out a sneaky way of disposing of bodies. Take this to the police right away and be done with it. That will make you a good citizen. You don’t need to go any further. As far as your concerns for Johan, do you know if the film and his disappearance are connected?” Eva asked.

  Sara shook her head. “They must be connected. Why else would he say it was life and death?”

  Eva Murphy interrupted her. “This man will keep killing. He probably has killed again. We don’t know if this is his first kill or twentieth. The fact no bodies have turned up is important. He’s sharp, he’s devious, patient, and very skilled with details. I’m telling you this again, you do not want to get involved in this. It’s way over your head and you will most likely end up in that box looking for air. Don’t do this, Sara. Haven’t you’ve been through enough?” The women stared at each other for several silent moments.

  Sara shrugged. “I still have nightmares, I refuse to open my mind to talk to the other side. I’ve left that life behind. But, I’ve never seen Johan like this and I’ve known him for over 15 years. We might not still be together but I’m afraid for him. I’m afraid if I don’t do something about this, he will die.”

  Sara stood up and took the DVD out of the player. “Please, at least think about it. If not for me, then for him. I’ve never seen him like this and I’m afraid.” Sara stuck out her hand and Eva took it in hers.

  “I’ll call you in a couple of days with my decision.” Eva said. “That’s the best I can do.”

  Sara nodded and opened the door to let herself out. The world had darkened in the time she’d spent with Eva.

  4

  Eva Murphy closed the door on Sara Caine. Anderson spoke to her before she heard the click of the lock. Anderson, the ghost who was squatting in her mind. The mistake she still struggled to understand. The last time she’d heard his voice was the day she started the medication. The meds dulled her brain enough to drown out his thoughts. He’d promised to stay in the background of her mind but she felt him inside of her, nonetheless.

  Anderson was an itch she couldn’t scratch. A foreign being who saw her innermost thoughts, desires and dreams. To say it was disturbing was an understatement. She stayed in the hospital for several weeks after the shooting. The pain was all she focused on. But then the pain went away, and all she was left with was Anderson.

  He disapproved of her decision to quit the force and she used alcohol to drown out his recriminations. When the alcohol stopped working, she turned to pills. Those had worked until today. Or had they? Maybe he had simply stopped talking to her.

  “You must help her,” Anderson said.

  “No, I don’t. It’s my life and you don’t get a say in it. It’s another one of those killers. The ones you lose your soul trying to catch. I’m not willing to descend back to hell yet. I don’t want to do that anymore. Look what it cost me last time.”

  “I wanted to be with you.”

  “You’ve said. We can’t remedy it so why bother even talking about it. If I have to live the rest of my life with you in my head, I’ll be damned if I allow you to tell me what to do.”

  “It’s the right thing to do. This is why you became a cop. To help people that can’t help themselves. A woman out there is getting stalked by the same killer. You know he will do it again.”

  “That’s no longer my problem. Shut the hell up and leave me alone.” She reached over for the whiskey bottle.

  “You shouldn’t mix that with the Valium. They’re both downers. Are you trying to hurt yourself?” He reminded her.

  “I want peace and want to shut you out. I’m hoping this will do the trick.” She said and drank straight from the bottle.

  “You know you have to help her.”

  “No, actually I don’t. Now leave me the hell alone.” She said and focused on taking another drink. Soon her eyes grew heavy, and the drugs took effect. She smiled and slipped under.

  5

  Sara Caine stared at the facade of the Alexas Hotel.

  “Goddamn you, Johan,” she muttered under her breath. Ritchie, her techie secret weapon, had gotten her the address of one Janice Hollebeck who resided at the Alexas Hotel. When she heard the address, she couldn’t believe she’d have to go back to that godforsaken place. Nothing good was associated with the old hotel. She hoped to never grace its interior after the horrors of the Torso killer case and yet here she was again. And by herself, to boot.

  Her meeting with Eva Murphy had shaken her, and she didn’t want to wait for Ritchie to join her. So like a fool, she decided to investigate herself.

  “If you find nothing here, you are done with this case,” she promised herself. Saying it out loud made her a feel a tidge better. But just a tidge. “Then straight to the police I go. Do you hear me?” She said even louder. A businessman hurrying home from work gave her a nervous glance. She touched the mace that hung like a talisman on her key chain and took a deep breath. “Here goes nothing,” she whispered and pulled the heavy door open. She wished she had a gun on her.

  “You’re OK,” she said under her breath as she made her way to the elevator. She punched the button for up and dared not look back at the doorman sitting at his post for fear of him questioning her destination. She had a story planned but her nervousness would show through in an instant. The doorman never looked up from his iPad as she stepped inside the metal cage and pushed the number 2 button for the second floor.

  The elevator creaked and shuddered up. She grabbed the wall and closed her eyes. “This is a simple in and out. You aren’t an investigator. Jan
ice Hollebeck will answer the door, know nothing about any films and you can go on your merry way,” she said aloud. “I’ll go back to delivering coffee on film sets and be safe. I’m just helping a friend.” She didn’t know what compelled her to talk to herself but it made her feel better.

  She got out of the elevator on the second floor. Apartment two hundred twelve was off to the right. Disembodied voices swam through the air while the hallway stayed empty. She shivered. How could anyone live here?

  The Alexas Hotel was such a strange apartment building. Once a famous hotel, it had seen the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and other luminaries grace its doors. It had fallen into ruin by the 40s and went back and forth from flop house to something slightly above it. It even had boxing matches in one of the grand ballrooms. And, of course, there were the Torso murders.

  She knocked on the door and waited. No one answered the door. She knocked again. The door stayed closed. She put her head up to the door to hear any sort of movement.

  Scratch. Scratch. Scratch.

  The sound came from inside the apartment. Exactly where her ear pressed against it. She stared at her feet and saw faint light ooze across the dirty carpet that covered the hallway.

  She stepped back.

  Sara did a check on all of her mental walls to keep out any supernatural activity.

  They were all in place.

  It was probably the woman’s cat trying to get out, she reasoned. But what about the light?

  A light was turned on, she thought. There was no reason to believe some entity had penetrated her shields. She hadn’t been able to hear a ghost in months.

  “So now what?” she asked. Sara ran her fingers along the mail slot. She could peak and make sure the cat was OK.