Change of Heart 3

Chapter 4

Jennifer's P.O.V

"This is where it happened?" My voice echoed throughout the silent and deserted underground car park.

"Over here." Del grabbed my hands in his and led me all the way to the far left corner. "Kayla's car was parked right here."

"Which means she died..." I stepped forward slowly and scanned the floor. "Around here."

Keeping up to my promise to Del to find out who the serial killer was in California, I agreed to let him take me to the very spot where the last murder took place. There were no reports of any other killings after therapist Kayla Denver died two weeks ago, but that didn't necessarily mean this killer was through.

The Californian police and forensic department didn't get to this crime scene yet as they were busy with the others that happened back to back a couple weeks ago. Del thought that this opportunity was therefore perfect as we could analyze any evidence ourselves.

"Didn't the cameras pick anything up Del?"

"Unfortunately not, turns out this killer is smart." Del walked towards a post where a surveillance camera rested. "See that camera? Our killer burned the wires and shut it down minutes before the incident took place."

"He burned it huh?" My eyes were glued to the device and my gut urged me to check it out. "Give me a boost Del."

Without questioning my intentions he boosted me up long enough so that I could grab the camera and any connecting wires.

"You were right...the wires were burnt."

"I'm always right." He shook his head and walked away from me to scan the area but I didn't budge.

I closed my eyes and exhaled before bringing the wires closer to my nose and inhaling deeply. When Del saw what I did he moved closer to me in a hurry.

"What is it? Did you get a scent of him?"

"No...not the killer..."

"Then what?"

"Tobacco...the wires were burned by a cigarette..."

"Then I guess the killer is a smoker. We should keep looking to find something less vague."

Del thought that this fact was vague but I didn't. I didn't think that these killings started days after my altercation with Nick by coincidence. I didn't think that this killer was draining the blood of his victims with any tools other than his fangs and I didn't think that wherever Nick was that he was ok.

I knew that if I shared these suspicions with Del he would doubt me. Anyone would. Maybe I was over thinking this...Nick wasn't a killer. It couldn't be him.

Just as I started to convince myself that I was in over my head something silver shined and caught my eye in the corner of the last wall of the lot. Immediately I followed it and stooped down near the object.

"A lighter..." The wires were taken out by a cigarette.

Carefully, as if it would light itself and burn me, I picked the lighter up and brought it eye level.

I've seen this before.

As I turned the object around in my hands the familiar engraving of a skull exposed itself and I knew whose lighter this was.

An instant pain formed in my head. Now I knew what Adrian felt like whenever he got those damn headaches. In seconds the pain was accompanied by nausea and dizziness.