Author: Leslie Agostino (leslieago@netzero.net)
Title: INTO THE SHADOWS -- Part Four
Timeline: This story takes place in the third season shortly after the episode Cliffy
Summary: The Danko’s become
targets of a crazed killer and the rookies race against time to catch him.
Later that afternoon, Jill entered the apartment and when she saw the envelope, she smiled, believing it was from since he usually came home for lunch and left her note telling her he had been there and loved her.
Picking up the envelope, she opened it and poured the contents onto the counter. When Jill saw the graphic nature of the photographs, the violence the victims had obviously endured, she started to shake.
"Oh, my God," she muttered. "Oh dear God, no."
Suddenly, a picture caught her eye. It was different than the rest she had just seen. Horribly different Jill realized as she shakily picked it up.
It was a picture of her and Mike taken the day they were at the beach. It was of the two of them making love as the waves crashed over them.
Feeling suddenly sick to her stomach, Jill ran for the bathroom as the telephone started to ring. She ignored it as she slammed the bathroom door closed.
Meanwhile, in the locker room at the precinct, Mike slowly hung up the receiver.
"What’s wrong?" Chris asked.
"I don’t know," Mike replied. "Jill should be home by now. She’s not answering the phone and I don’t like it."
"Call Terry. He’ll check on her."
Instead of replying, Mike dropped another dime into the coin box and dialed Terry’s number.
When he answered, Mike said, "Terry, it’s Mike. Could you do me a favor? I just tried calling Jill and there’s no answer. Can you go over there and check on her? Call me right back. Yeah, I’m still here."
Mike hung up and turned to Chris, who said, "She’s okay, Mike. Probably in the shower and didn’t hear the phone."
"I hope so, Chris. I sure as hell hope so."
When Terry reached the Danko’s apartment, he rang the bell. Getting no response, he tried the knob and opened the front door.
"Hey, Jill," he called out. "It’s me, Terry."
When he didn’t receive a response, Terry entered the apartment and headed for the bedroom.
In the doorway, he stopped in his tracks as he saw Jill standing in the bathroom violently shaking. Terry didn’t have to ask what was wrong. He saw the words written on the mirror quite clearly.
Oh, boy, he thought. Mike’s gonna flip.
Cautiously, Terry approached his friend. "Jill?"
He placed a hand on her shoulder as Jill whirled around, terror clearly evident in her eyes.
Seeing Terry, she flung her arms around him and burst into heartbreaking sobs.
Suddenly the telephone started to ring. Terry’s heart went to Jill as she pleaded, "Please, Terry. Please make it stop."
"C’mon, Jill, let’s get into the living room."
Terry led her out and gently sat her on the sofa. As soon as Jill sat down, her hands went to her ears, trying to block out the ringing of the telephone.
"Stop it!" she screamed. "Make it stop!"
Terry snatched up the receiver and said, "Hello?"
"You’re not Danko," Toscano said. "I won’t talk to you."
Before Terry could reply, the killer hung up. Terry followed suit and looked at Jill who had wrapped her arms around herself and was rocking back and forth, tears streaming down her face.
He went over to her and knelt down. "Jill?"
"I want Mike," she said, not looking at Terry. "Where’s Mike? Why isn’t he here?"
Getting to his feet, Terry said, "I’ll call him, Jill. He’ll be here before you know it."
Jill wasn’t listening to him. All she heard were the victims’ screams as they must have fought for their lives. All she saw were their ravaged bodies.
"Mike," she repeated, over and over again.
Terry went to the telephone by the front door and dialed the number to the pay phone.
When Mike answered, he said, "You better get over here."
"Jill?" Mike asked, worry clearly in his voice.
"She’s fine, Mike. Physically, anyway, but she needs you."
"What happened?"
"I don’t know." Terry turned his back on Jill and when he saw the pictures, he too felt sick to his stomach. "Holy shit," he muttered.
"What, damn it?"
"Pictures, Mike. Pictures of Toscano’s victims. She saw them."
"How…"
"Bad," Terry interrupted. "Real bad." Suddenly he saw the picture of Jill and Mike making love and bent down to pick it up. "Mike, get your ass home."
"I’m gone." Mike hung up and ran out of the locker room with Chris hot on his heels.
Terry hung up and looked back at Jill. Somehow, he had to get through to her. Mike couldn’t see her like this.
Going over to her, he knelt down in front of her and said, taking one of her hands in his, "Jill, can you hear me? It’s Terry. I called Mike and he’s on his way home. C’mon, kid, look at me. It’s Terry."
Finally, Terry’s voice penetrated through Jill’s terror. She focused her frightened eyes on him and, much to his relief, she said, "Mike’s coming home?"
"He’s on his way." Terry got up and sat down beside her.
Jill flung her arms around him and sobbed. "Please don’t leave me, Terry. Please don’t leave me."
"I’m not going anywhere until Mike gets home."
She clung to Terry as if he was a lifeline and in a way he was. A lifeline back to sanity.
"Who could do something like that to another human being?" she asked.
"I don’t know, Jill. All I know is he’s crazy. Taggert and Ryker are going crazy looking for him. And they will find him."
"When, Terry? After he kills again? God, Terry, I don’t even recognize Nicole. That’s who it is, isn’t it?"
"I don’t know. All I know is, he never should’ve sent them to you."
"He didn’t send them, Terry." Jill pulled away.
Like Terry, she couldn’t let Mike see her like this. She struggled for control as Terry waited for her to continue.
"He left them on the counter. The envelope had my name on it so I opened it. I wish I hadn’t."
"I don’t blame you. I’m sorry that you saw those."
Before Jill could reply, the front door was thrown open, causing her to jump. A very worried Mike and Chris entered.
"Jill?" Mike asked, concern clearly evident in his eyes as he pulled her up and into his arms. "You okay?"
"No," Jill replied, fighting back the tears that threatened to burst. "Just hold me. Please?"
"I’ve got you, baby. You’re safe now." Mike looked at Terry, who had gotten to his feet. "What the hell happened?"
"Toscano happened," Terry explained.
He went to the counter and as he gathered the pictures, Terry noticed more pictures of Mike and Jill. Separating them from the other pictures, he handed some of the pictures to Chris and the rest to Mike.
"Jill said they were in an envelope, on the counter with her name on it. She thought the envelope was from you and opened it.
"God almighty," Chris said, as he looked from one picture to the next. "Jill, you saw these?"
None of the officers had seen the crime scene pictures, but they had heard rumors that the victims had been bad. Nothing prepared Mike and Chris for what they were seeing. The murders had been brutal and savage.
As Mike, who gently released Jill, looked at each one, he prayed none of the girls had been alive to endure it. He knew at least one victim had been dead prior to the beatings and stabbings. Seeing how Nicole ended up, he realized she got off easy.
When he finally came upon the pictures of Jill and himself making love, he froze.
"No," he muttered, shooting Jill a look.
"What?" Chris asked.
Terry made sure not one picture of his two friends got into the set of pictures Chris was looking at. Seeing the look of pure rage in Mike’s eyes, he wished he had destroyed them.
Mike handed Terry the beach pictures and took the photographs Chris was holding.
"I don’t care what you do with those," he said. "Just get rid of ‘em."
"Where are you going?" Terry asked, not sure he wanted to know.
"Stay with Jill. Don’t let her near the telephone."
"Mike?" Jill had been watching him and by the look in his eyes, she knew he had seen the pictures of the beach. She had never seen him so angry.
Without another word, Mike left the apartment, slamming the door behind him.
Chris and Terry exchanged looks. Jill sank down on the couch, tears streaming down her face.
"He took pictures of Mike and me at the beach the other day," Jill explained. "We…we…"
"Jill, it’s okay," Terry said, gently. "You don’t have to explain. Where do you keep the scissors?"
"Scissors? In the top drawer of the secretary. Why?"
Instead of replying, Terry pulled open the drawer, pulled out the scissors and started cutting up the pictures.
"If Ryker finds out you destroyed evidence…" Chris started to say.
"What evidence?" Terry snapped. "These have nothing to do with the murders and no one has the right to look at ‘em. Besides, Mike told me to do it and right now I would rather have Ryker pissed off at me than Mike. What about you?"
"Is there another set of scissors?"
"No, but you can take care of the message on the bathroom mirror that he left for Jill. It about sums everything up."
"Why not." Seeing Mike’s camera he picked it up. "First, I better take a couple of pictures for Taggert. If we can’t get him on murder, we’ll nail him on breaking and entering."
Finally done cutting up the pictures, Terry tossed the scissors back in the drawer and looked at Chris. "I’m glad I’m no where near the precinct when Mike gets there."
"You and me both," Chris agreed.
The two cops looked at Jill and were surprised to find her sleeping. Terry went over to her and covered with the blanket that was laying on the top of the couch.
"How was she?" Chris asked.
"Not good, man. I’ve never seen her like that. If Mike had seen her…I hope Taggert finds Toscano. For his sake ‘cause if Mike finds him…"
"Tell me about it."
Meanwhile, at the precinct, Taggert was in Ryker’s office going over the case when Mike entered and slammed the door closed behind him, making both officers sit back and take notice.
"That son-of-a-bitch has been stalking my wife the whole time!" Mike snapped.
"Danko," Ryker said, "what are…"
"Wanna know what Jill saw when she came home today? In an envelope, with her name on it, she found these! Take a good look, sir!"
Mike tossed the pictures on Ryker’s desk, making Taggert cringe. Only Ryker was used to Mike’s temper. However, he’s never seen him this pissed off.
"I thought you told me Jill’s stalker was a religious fanatic," he said.
Picking one of the pictures, Mike tossed it over and said, "I was wrong!"
Written on the back was a note that said, ‘To my dearest angel. May you forever rest in hell. T.’
"I should’ve seen it! I should’ve known it was Toscano who was behind the phone call and the flowers! Two stalkers at the same time! What the hell kind of odds are those?"
"Your wife saw these?" Taggert asked, in disbelief. "All of them?"
"How the hell should I know? I wasn’t there! I should’ve been there! As it was she was alone! Does it really matter? One of those fucking pictures is enough to push her over the edge! Now, are you going to find the son of a bitch or do? ‘Cause if I find him, there isn’t going to be a piece of him left! Am I making myself clear?"
"Danko," Ryker said. "Calm down. You are not going after Toscano."
"Don’t tell me to calm down!" Mike slammed his hand on Ryker’s desk. "It’s not your wife Toscano’s after! It’s Jill and if he so much as gets within five miles of her, I’ll kill him! Now, either you two find him, or I will!"
Without another word, Mike stormed out of Ryker’s office, slamming the door behind him.
Taggert started to get his feet, as Ryker said, "Let him go."
"Are you serious? Danko’s acting like a madman. I already have one, Eddie. I don’t need another one."
"He’ll calm down once he gets home. Besides, he has every right to be pissed off. We’re not exactly getting anywhere on this are we?"
"Damn it, Eddie. I’m doing everything I can. This guy is way out of my league. Is it my fault…"
"No one’s blaming you. Toscano spent time in ‘Nam. He knows how to melt into a crowd. That’s what he was trained for. Are you?"
"No. So how do I stop him?"
"I have a feeling it won’t be you."
"Danko? You’re not condoning…"
"No, but he’s angry right now. He’s a good cop and he also spent time in ‘Nam. It’s personal to Toscano. He wants Mike to know what he’s capable of. I think he’s daring Danko to stop him."
"Oh, Danko will stop him all right. But, at what cost?"
"Taggert, you don’t know Mike. I do. A maniac is stalking his wife. He is getting calls from said maniac about his kills. The victims, except for the last, remind him of his wife. His worst nightmare has just come true. How do you expect him to react? Plant a flower garden?"
Taggert rolled his eyes. "No, but Eddie, can’t you relieve him of duty or something?"
"No. I do that, and it’s a written invitation for Danko to take matters in his own hands. The last thing I want is to arrest the man for second degree murder."
"The way he is now…"
"He got it out of his system. As of tomorrow, he’ll have the same hours as his wife. That way, she won’t be alone if Toscano should drop by with any more packages."
"You have a lotta faith in him, Eddie. I just hope it isn’t misplaced."
"It isn’t. Besides, I have help in keeping him on an even keel."
"And what, pray tell, is that?"
"One Terrance Webster, officer of the S.C.P.D. If anyone can calm him down, it’s our resident shrink."
A half an hour later, a calmer Mike Danko entered his apartment and was relieved to see Jill sleeping on the couch.
Chris and Terry were sitting at the counter drinking beers. Mike noticed that the receiver was off the hook as he went to the refrigerator and took out a beer for himself.
"How did you get her to go to sleep?" Mike asked.
"We didn’t," Terry said. "She just did. How did it go with Ryker?"
"It went. How was she? Really?"
"Terrified. Hell, that doesn’t even begin to cover it."
"Thanks for being here. I just wish it had been me. Hell, I wish she didn’t see those pictures. What she must’ve felt."
"Mike," Terry said, "Jill’s a strong lady. She’ll come through this."
"I hope so." Mike ran a hand through his hair as he leaned against the counter and faced his friends. "Jill doesn’t deserve this. If Toscano’s going after her because she’s my wife…How do I explain that to her?"
Neither Terry nor Chris had an answer for him.
"Damn him," Mike continued. "That day Jill and I spent on the beach, she told me that was one of the most beautiful days of her life. Toscano ruined it for her. Just thinking about him watching us…It makes me sick."
"No one’s gonna see those, man," Terry said.
"It doesn’t matter, Terry. Jill saw them. It was her place, ours. You think I’m ever gonna get her to go back knowing Toscano had been watching us, taking pictures…I want to break that son-of-a-bitch’s neck for what that alone did to her."
"You couldn’t have known he was there," Chris said.
"That doesn’t matter, Chris. He was, that’s the point."
"No, man," Terry said, "you’re wrong. The only way Toscano’s gonna ruin it; what you and Jill shared is if you let him. He may have taken the from you guys, be he can’t take away the love you two shared. No one can take that."
Mike realized Terry was right as he looked over at Jill. He loved her more than he loved anyone or anything in his life. Not even Toscano can change that. He would do anything to keep her safe, to take away the fear he knew she must be feeling.
"What I want to know is why no one can find him," Mike said, as he headed for the table and sat down. Straightening out his legs, he continued, "He can’t be that good."
"He isn’t," Chris said. "He’s just got lucky. Someone’s bound to come forward sooner or later."
"When, Chris? Before or after he kills my wife?"
"Mike, we are not going to let Toscano near her. Ryker’ll have cops around her twenty-four hours a day."
"She’s not gonna go for that. Jill likes to handle things on her own."
"Mike, you can’t handle Toscano. Jill sure as hell can’t handle him," Terry said. "Jill was a mess tonight. For a minute there, I didn’t think I was getting through to her."
"Oh, that’s just beautiful."
"Your name, the fact that you were on your way home, that’s what got her through."
"So, what are you telling me?"
"I think Terry is telling you to take a leave of absence," Chris said. "Ryker offered it to you this morning. Why don’t you take it?"
"And do what? Toscano’s still gonna call. He’s still gonna target some girl."
"At least you’ll be around when Jill needs you. Instead of a phone call away."
"I should’ve been here tonight, Chris. Tonight was when she needed me. What more can he possibly do to her?"
"Mike?" Terry said. He had spent the last several minutes thinking about Toscano, trying to figure out what motivated these senseless killings, aside from the sex factor.
There was also something in one of the pictures he had seen. Something in it he just couldn’t quite see.
"What?" Mike asked, looking at Terry as he sipped his beer.
"What exactly does Toscano say to Jill when he calls her?"
"I don’t know. She never really told me. All she said was the calls were creepy, but not threatening. Until last night. Even that one was apparently more anger than hate. At least that’s what Alex said."
Suddenly Mike felt a knot in the pit of his stomach. He never told Jill about Alex and he wasn’t sure if he should.
He ran a hand over his face. "Anyway, you’re gonna have to ask her. Why?"
"You said he calls himself her savior. Do you know if he ever said why or who he wanted to save her from?"
"Terry, I told you. I have no idea what Toscano says to her. She was handling it. Yes, he did say that, but that’s all she told me. Now, will you get to the damn point?"
"That point is…Can I use your phone?"
Mike groaned. "You’re killing me, Webster. Yes, use the phone."
Terry walked over to the kitchen extension and dialed the precinct. When it was answered, he said, "This is Webster. I need to speak to Sergeant Taggert. Yeah, it’s important. Yeah I’ll hold." Covering the mouthpiece, he explained, "If I’m right about what I saw in one of the pictures, we may have an answer to some of our questions. Yes, Serge." Terry turned back to the receiver. "I have a question. In the last victim, what was the symbol carved into her chest? Are you sure? One more. Was she alive? Thanks, Serge, you’ve been helpful."
Terry hung up, walked back to the counter, sat down and said, "Toscano is a Satanist."
Both Mike and Chris stared at their friend as if he had suddenly grown two extra heads.
"He’s a what?" Chris asked.
"A Satanist. Devil Worshipper. The last victim had a pentagram carved into her chest. And yes, she was already dead thanks to Toscano cutting her throat."
"You can’t be serious," Mike said. "The Army never would’ve let him in. And if he did, he would’ve been discharged with a section eight."
"Maybe they didn’t know. Or he never was one when he joined up. You know what ‘Nam did to some of the guys over there. Maybe something inside of him just snapped. It happens all the time. And the reason he’s getting away with all of this is because he was trained to melt into night. Just like you were."
"I wasn’t trained to butcher people, Terry."
"That’s not what I mean. You, Toscano, you guys were trained to blend into your surroundings. That’s how he’s getting away."
Chris and Mike looked at each other. Terry had come up with some wild theories before to explain the actions of man and usually he had been right on. This time, though, it looked like he lost his touch.
"Terry," Chris said, "sometimes I really worry about you."
"Just hear me out, okay? It will all make sense in a minute. I know a pentagram carved in a chest doesn’t mean anything, but, Mike even you said Jill’s caller sounded like a religious freak by calling himself her savior. You also told us that Jill received black roses. Black is a symbol of death."
"Gee," Mike said, sarcastically, "I never would’ve guessed that."
"Look, if you two can come up with a better theory as to why Toscano is doing what he does, let me hear it."
"Listen, Terry," Mike said, giving his friend the benefit of the doubt. "It’s a good theory, albeit a twisted on, but it doesn’t explain why he chose me or Jill."
"I was getting to that, if you two would just shut up and open your minds."
"My mind doesn’t open that far," Chris said, trying to lighten the mood. "But, give it a try."
"Thank you, Owens. Anyway, maybe he hadn’t planned on talking to anyone about his killings. However, you can’t go around killing people, get away with it and expect to keep it to yourself. You’re gonna wanna share it with someone. Who better than a cop?
"Mike, do you remember what he said to you when he first called you?"
Mike thought back to the first phone call he received. The call that started all this madness. "The first time he called, he said he was gonna do it again. Until the second victim turned up, I had no idea what he was talking about. Hell, I still didn’t have a clue until he told me about Nicole. Then it all made sense."
"What else did he say?"
"He blamed me for Nicole’s death. Said it wasn’t time for her to die. He wanted to do it his way. Then he told me he went from using a gun to a knife. Said it was more creative. Wants me to admire his handiwork. Called the first three killings practice kills. Never once did he mention Jill’s name. If he had, I probably would’ve shipped her off to Siberia. I still might."
"And Jill has never told you what he had said to her?"
"No. Just that it was creepy and strange. Nothing in her mind to tie the two. She said she could handle it."
"When she wakes up, will you ask her?"
"That depends on her. If she’s up to it, yeah, I will. If not…"
"Okay. Last question. When you first met Jill, what was your very first impression of her?"
Mike stared at him. Taking a sip from his beer, he said, hiding a smile, "You’re getting mighty personal, fella."
Terry rolled his eyes. "Just answer the question. What drew you to Jill?"
"Her eyes," Mike replied, with a smile. "She has the prettiest…"
"Not her physical attributes, man. Those are obvious. What was it about her that made you fall in love with her?"
"There better be a good reason why you’re asking me this.
"I guess it was her innocence. She was nineteen at the time. Worked in a bowling alley as a waitress/bartender. Her compassion, sensitivity and love for everyone around her knew no bounds.
"I don’t know, Terry. There were a lot of things about Jill that drew me to her. What’s the point?"
"The point is, what drew you to Jill is what drew Toscano to her. I don’t think when he met you he intended to go after her."
"Then, Terry, in your infinite wisdom, why is Toscano terrorizing my wife? And don’t tell me it’s because she fits the profile. I know that."
Terry looked at Mike. He had a feeling his friend’s not going to like what he was about to say. He glanced at Chris and knew his partner, too, had hit the nail on the head. Chris looked ready to bolt for the door.
Mike’s patience was beginning to wear thin. "You gonna tell me or what?"
"You’re not gonna like it," Terry admitted.
"Probably not, but tell me anyway."
"Mike," Chris said, "remember, this is only a theory."
Mike looked from Terry to Chris and back again. Finally he said, "Now I know I’m not going to like this. Do me a favor, Terry and just tell me what ever is on your mind."
"I think Toscano’s after Jill because…" Terry exchanged looks with Chris. Maybe I should’ve gone to Ryker and Taggert first, he thought.
"Because what, man?" Mike said. "A man could grow old waiting for you to finish a thought."
"…because he needs a sacrifice," Terry finished, quickly.
Now, he and Chris waited for the explosion they knew had to be coming.
"A what?" Mike asked. "I don’t think I heard you."
"Toscano believes that Jill would be the perfect offering to his ‘god’."
Slowly, Mike put his beer down on the counter and looked at Chris.
"You agree with Terry’s theory?" he asked.
"It explains a lot," Chris said. "Jill is the total opposite of what Toscano is and what he believes in. She would, in his sick mind, be the perfect sacrifice."
"Let me get this straight and both of you correct me if I’m wrong. You think Toscano is a Satanist. He is using the training he received in the Army in preparation for the ultimate kill. The last four murders being, as he calls it practice kill and he calls me to brag about it. He’s terrorizing my wife because he thinks she would be the perfect sacrifice to offer to Satan. Am I getting this so far?"
"Mike," Chris said. "It fits."
Mike picked up his beer and finished it off in one swallow as Chris and Terry exchanged looks. Their friend was being way too calm.
Suddenly Mike slammed the bottle down and said, "Are you two outta your ever lovin’ minds? Terry, you’ve come up with a lot of theories in the past, but that has got to be…There is no way in hell I’m going to explain to my wife Toscano is preparing her as a sacrifice. Do you know what that would do to her?"
"Uh, Mike," Chris said. He had been looking over at the couch where Jill had been sleeping. She was watching Mike with growing horror.
"Then explain the pentagram carved in Alex’s chest," Terry said. "Or why he would send Jill black roses."
"Uh, Terry…"
"I can’t explain it, Terry! That’s the damn problem! He’s a sick, twisted son-of-a-bitch! Does he have to have a reason? There’s not always an answer to why people do what they do! Can’t you just accept that?"
Terry stormed to his feet. "No, I can’t accept that! Not when two people I care about are going through hell! Jill has a right to know!"
Mike stormed to his feet and faced him. "Over my dead body! She is not going to hear word one about your crazy theory!"
"She knows!" Chris shouted, getting both men’s attention. "Thanks to the both of you Jill now knows!"
Chris stood up and headed for the door. He’d had enough of these two. "Next time you two wanna get into a shouting match, go to China. I doubt she’ll hear you then.
"Goodnight, Jill."
He left the Danko’s apartment, slamming the door behind him.
"Why don’t you get the hell outta here, too, Webster," Mike snapped, heading for the refrigerator. "And take your theory and shove it."
"I was just trying to help," Terry said.
"I don’t fucking want it! Now get the hell out!"
Without a word, Terry left the apartment. He wasn’t surprised to see Chris leaning against the wall across from him.
"Ryker?" Chris asked.
"Yeah. I should’ve gone to him first."
"Terry, Mike will get over it. He knows you meant well. He’s just a little crazed right now."
"Crazed doesn’t begin to cover it."
"Let Ryker deal with him. If anyone can calm him down, he can."
"I hope so. For both their sakes.
Let’s get outta here."