The Mind Virus

Chapter 15 - Part 2

It had been a few days since he'd begun working on it, and now his old cork board was covered in notes with information taken from each report and how they related to one another. Jim didn't even care that it was a gimmick from television shows – it was easier for him to pin up notes than type on a computer. Furthermore, by using the board, he was able to map out a clear progression, the path that the weapon most likely followed before it reached him. He even found a victim that the other officers and detectives had missed.

By burning police reports from every suicide from the past year onto the CD, Jim could go further back than anyone else had tried. In doing so, he read up on the death of one Molly Moore, who had taken her life a whole two months before what the police thought was the first suicide. They hadn't made the connection partly because of the time gap and partly because she hadn't been a student at Cedar Grove State like most of the others were. Although he wanted to be smug about his revelation, it was pure chance that Jim had made the connection. Molly Moore had gone to the same school as him. She was a few years younger, but he had known her through a friend who was a relative of hers. Ronnie Shmitt was her cousin and had a few classes with Jim. Ronnie also had a younger sister whom Jim had never met nor learned her name, only that she was a few years younger than cousin Molly. Between the estimated age and the uncommon spelling of the last name, Jim was sure that this younger sister was none other than the Jenny Shmitt who was – as far as the police could tell – the first victim in the spate of suicides. Except she wasn't. Molly Moore was. It was clear where Jim needed to go next.

*

"It's been a while, Jim. I totally didn't recognize you." Ronnie had aged about a decade since Jim had last seen him, but when he opened his mouth, he was the same old Ronnie.

"Yeah, it's the beard, isn't it? I haven't been able to shave for a while."

Ronnie looked down at Jim's hands. "What the hell happened there?"

"You don't want to know."

"Did no one warn you about excessive masturbation, Jim?" Ronnie laughed. "I have to say, though, doing it two-handed takes a certain sort of skill. I bow before you, master."

"Yeah, all right, stand up, Ronnie. Believe me, I've heard it all before."

"So, Jesus, Jim, it's been, what, ten years since we've last seen each other. What's brought you around here anyway?"

"I wish I could say it was for a friendly chat, but I'm afraid I'm here on police business."

"I'd heard you were with the police now. You started out as an intern, didn't you? Congratulations on the promotion."

"Thanks." Jim found no reason to correct him.

"So what did I do? You're not here to arrest me, are you?" Ronnie held out two hands like he was about to get handcuffed.

"Put 'em down, Ronnie. You're all right. It's actually about your sister and your cousin. I'm sorry to reopen fresh wounds, but I'd like to talk to you about them."

Ronnie's mood changed on a dime. His face darkened considerably and his smile was gone. "And here I thought I was going to have a good day."

"I'm sorry, Ronnie. This is important. It could save lives." That had meant something else the last time he'd said it. Now it meant his own, but no one had to know that.

Ronnie stared at him, unflinching.

"So are you gonna invite me in or what?" Jim tried.

Ronnie pulled back and gestured with his head for him to come in.

Jim didn't like how much that reminded him of his encounter with Old Shiny Head at the factory. That memory was bad enough without the virus making it worse.