Of Lights and Shadows (Book 4)

45) A Portrait of Hidden Madness

'You know I didn't kill Frank Coldon,' Dastardious told Mulligan as they headed back to the Plaza.

'Oh I know,' replied Mulligan nastily from the front. 'I killed him. I blew his brains out when I got back to the room where we'd set up the equipment to spy on you. I was so close to catching the Shadow, I was down at the Lake just after your man Dutch pulled the boat out of the water for us. I was even the first to reach Aforethought's house. She wasn't there of course, you were with her. You already knew it was her! How?' he demanded, pounding the wheel in anger. The car served and he righted it quickly.

'There was just something about her,' replied Dastardious shortly. The news that Mulligan had killed someone to frame him again didn't faze him. It was becoming a habit of Mulligan's. All men have a trade mark, or a signature move, framing people was Mulligan's.

'What was it?' demanded Mulligan again. 'What could there have possibly been that would give you cause to suspect her after you'd already thrown away the idea?'

'Her name, mainly.' He didn't elaborate on it; it wouldn't do for Mulligan to know too much. Besides, it would anger him more if he didn't know. An angry man makes mistakes. He also wouldn't elaborate because he wasn't too sure what he meant himself.

Scowling darkly, Mulligan said, 'I don't see it.'

'Of course you don't, that's why they called me in. I see outside the box, that's how I found her in the first place. But onto more pressing matters, how are you going to make this murder stick?'

'I have evidence stashed away, your prints on the gun, ash from those infernal cigars found on the scene. Enough to stick. I don't need too much, the charges from Norbert's murder alone is enough to put you away. This is just an excuse to have you locked back up in your cell. Commissioner Gallapolo might have had the power to release you today, but after this he won't. This will be taken to the highest power, and the world can say goodbye to Dastardious Hollow once and for all.'

Dastardious allowed himself a smile of amusement.

'That's what you said when they led me away for the murder of Ed. By the way, how did that feel?'

He leaned forwards so that he could be closer to see Mulligan's face. 'You strangled your only brother to hurt me, the pain you felt doing what would hurt me, how did that feel?'

For a moment there was no reply, then finally Mulligan spoke, stiffly, 'It hurt, but it needed to be done.'

Dastardious's smile broadened. 'It needed to be done,' he repeated softly, as if the words amused him.

'You copied me,' Dastardious stated. 'Was your brother's death the only thing you could think of to hurt me?' Laughing suddenly he sat back.

'It didn't hurt me at all,' he continued. 'I hated your brother, he was an annoying pest who insisted on watching my every move to try and pick up 'tips', as he called them. He was a fan, and that made him get in the way. I never wanted him and you only cleared my path by taking care of him. Did you really think that the pain you would feel on killing him would hurt me? I don't care about your pain.'

He laughed again, a rough barking in the backseat like a mad dog. 'I'll let you in on a little secret; I stopped feeling pain when I killed my wife and daughter. I stopped feeling pain when I realised you were sleeping with my wife. That was actually a good turn for you, one of the best turns you ever took. It really worked. I just hope my go hurt you as much as yours did to me. Did it?' he asked, leaning forwards so fast his seat belt locked into place. He gripped the back of Mulligan's seat as a snarled, 'It had better have.'

White faced in the light from the street lamps, Mulligan was able to mumble a reply. 'It did indeed. I didn't think you would actually kill her.'

'It was part of the game,' Dastardious shrugged, as if killing your dearest was part of everyday life and there was nothing wrong with it. 'You hurt me, I hurt you. Back and forth it goes until one of us breaks.'