The Mindf*ck Series

Chapter 7

𝘐𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦. 𝘒𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥. 𝘐𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘳𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥.
- 𝘈𝘭𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘵 𝘌𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘪𝘯

𝗟𝗢𝗚𝗔𝗡

"We know from the previous five killings and the mutilations that sexual frustration and possible rejection were the main motives." Even though I feel like there's a shit-ton more to it. "Maybe the unsub feels inadequate, possibly from rejection or something even larger that has happened in the past. We need to find a link, and it starts in that town. Leonard and Elise have returned to Delaney Grove, searching for anyone who might speak. For now, the rest of us will remain here where the last killing happened. It's the freshest crime scene," I tell the group.

They grab their folders and files, and I head to my office, feeling too tired to think straight. For the past two weeks, I've either crashed in my office or driven home for a few hours of sleep.

Unlike most serial killers, this one isn't escalating in time scale or risk factor. He's not getting bolder, which means he's staying smarter. Which sucks for us, because he's not making any mistakes.

The trail is going to go cold. One more week, and there could be another body at our feet.

My phone dings, and I look down at the text, smiling when I see who it is. I have no idea why she bothers speaking to me, since all we've done is text or talk over the phone since the day I had to bail on her at the coffee shop.

𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗔: 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄, 𝗜 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗳𝗹𝗶𝘅 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗜 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗹.

𝗠𝗘: 𝗜 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗮 𝗧𝗩.

𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗔: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁???? 𝗛𝗼𝘄????

𝗠𝗘: 𝗜 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝘆 𝗼𝗻𝗲…

𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗔: 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘁, 𝗜’𝗺 𝘀𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘆. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘄.

𝗠𝗘: 𝗔𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗲 𝗯𝘆 𝗺𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀.

𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗔: 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗲𝗿.

That has me smirking.

𝗠𝗘: 𝗢𝗵? 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗰𝘂𝗳𝗳𝘀 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗼𝗻?

𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗔: 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗼. 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂… 𝗜𝗳 𝘄𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹, 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀.

My cock stirs in my pants, and I mentally count the months since the last time I even had time to think about sex. By month five, I stop counting, because it’s just depressing. I’ll need a few dates with my hand before I try taking on Lana and embarrassing myself.

𝗠𝗘: 𝗗𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄?

𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗔: 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿?

𝗠𝗘: 𝗡𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲, 𝘀𝗼 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲. 𝗜𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲.

𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗔: 𝗜’𝗺 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

My brow furrows as I read her last text.

𝗠𝗘: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗹?

𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗔: 𝗔𝗺 𝗜 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝘆𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗲? 𝗢𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘂𝗽𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗺 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲? ;)

That has me smiling and laughing to myself as I sit back and look at the clock. It’s after nine, but I really want to see her right now.

𝗠𝗘: 𝗜𝘁’𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗺𝗲, 𝘀𝗼 𝗜 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗹 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲... 𝗛𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀
𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗱.

𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗔: 𝗜𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀… 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗵, 𝗻𝗼. 𝗜𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗜 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻. 𝗬𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿. :) 𝗜 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘄𝗸𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲.

I fist pump the air, then look up to see a few curious eyes on me through my open office door. Feeling like a fourteen-year-old jackass, I message her again.

𝗠𝗘: 𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝘄𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲. 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗜’𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻, 𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝘁𝘁𝘆 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲.

𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗔: 𝗠𝘆 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘁𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝘁𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗼𝗼.

𝗠𝗘: 𝗜𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜’𝗺 𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗼 𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗜 𝘀𝗮𝘄 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲?

𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗔: 𝗜𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗲𝘀, 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗼 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁?

Groaning, I glance at the time, then at my computer screen. Deciding to totally abuse my privileges, I do look up her address. But that’s all I research. Grabbing my phone, I pull up my GPS, grab my ‘go bag’ from the office, and jog down to my car.

Since it’s wishful thinking and incredibly presumptuous to bring a bag, I toss it in the back, hoping she doesn’t notice it and realize I’m expecting a lot more than I should be. Obviously I’ll leave as soon as I get there if she wants me to, but I’m really hoping she doesn’t want me to leave. Because Lana Myers has been in my head since the day I met her, and it’d be nice if someone noticed I was missing.