Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 108342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
“But why these men?!” Captain White exclaimed. “Do you know why your brother would do this?”
Nikolai picked up his bottle of water, slowly turned the cap, placed it to his mouth and drank. When the bottle was half empty, he set it down.
“Captain White, up until recently, I used to match energy, with energy. Now, I don’t want to match energy with energy. I want to shift the whole damn atmosphere. So, with that in mind, let me show you how a real detective works…” He turned back to Porsche. “With all that you know now, baby, why do you think my brother targeted these men?”
She boldly met his eyes and sat back in her chair. Crossing her legs, hands gripping the arms of her seat, she took a deep inhale and exhaled. Then, a satisfied glow showed in her eyes. In that moment, he could practically feel her thoughts and emotions. They were one…
“Your brother fits profile 39. A… He murders people who remind him of his father, and in addition to that, he feels uncontrollable rage towards them if they exhibit any of the traits that he hates about himself. He wants to kill his father, over and over again, while simultaneously killing the weak parts of himself.”
Nicolai raised his hands slowly, the chains jangled as he slowly clapped, then bowed slightly in acknowledgement of her words.
Captain White looked on in silent admiration.
“I also believe I know how your brother pulled off these murders.”
“Okay. I’ll tell you if you’re right or wrong. Go ahead.”
“His victims were selected because when he came upon them, they were intoxicated. Their inhibitions were lowered, which made them more vulnerable to a friendly face and generous nature. He saw them initially like the seashells he collected on the beach as a child. Unique, but not terribly important. Collectors’ items with no value. A means to an end. He wanted them badly though because he needed something, or better yet, someone, to unleash on. To appease himself. Dmitriy more than likely comes across as nonthreatening when he needs to.
“And it didn’t hurt that people in town were somewhat familiar with him. Well, familiar with you, I should say. People feel more comfortable with people they already know. I imagine in some cases, he even said he was you, Nikolai, and though you are a bit of a loner, this helped him. That way, you two would not be at two places at one time. You’d be home, minding your business, or at work, while he was hunting, preying, and killing. When at these various bars and restaurants at the beach, he’d strike up a conversation. He’d befriend them, offer them more drinks.
“Using his congeniality and charm, as you stated, he’d lure them into a state of comfort. People rarely notice two men laughing and talking at a bar unless they are specifically looking for those people to engage with. It is human nature to focus on women in such surroundings, especially if that woman is attractive. Studies show that even groups of women are more inclined to remember more details about other women while out in public places, versus minor details concerning men. Your brother used that to his advantage.
“He blended in. He spoke softly. He minimized himself. Something I’ve seen you do when we first met. Tall, larger people in general tend to shrink themselves if they get a sense that the person they are interested in is afraid of them, doesn’t trust them, or feels uneasy. This enhances the sense of comfort—a lack of intimidation. He looks like you, so should something arise, such as he becomes a suspect, you could possibly take the fall to an untrained eye. People in town had no idea that though you and your brother favored greatly, there were still obvious differences. They hadn’t seen you two standing together, side by side often enough in recent years to make that determination. He probably wanted to spend less time with you lately because of this. He was banking on being mistaken for you should someone see him in the act. Besides, you were the one that never came out to play… But there were differences. Tattoos. Mannerisms. Slight height variance. Walking patterns. Eye movements. Voice tone and inflections. Scars and blemishes. Most people assumed he wasn’t even in town at the time of the murders. And it worked.
“I checked his various addresses.” She reached into her purse and pulled out a folder, slapping it on the table. “In that file is over four pages of addresses for one man. He kept receiving mail at numerous apartments while living here in Portland during those brief times he’d drop in, making it appear as if he weren’t here at all. I imagine he’d remove any cash he could find from his victims to help sustain himself. I wonder how he was able to pay rent and his utilities if he rarely was employed?”