Mind of a Madman II Evil Stalks: Mind of a Madman, #2

By Valerie Bowen

Caleb Talbot, one of the most terrifying men alive, has left behind a bloody trail. Since his prison escape Caleb has done everything in his power to remain a free man. His heinous murders are so evil they are making Charles Manson look like a girl scout. As Caleb's illness evolves he has little or no patients for individuals that cross his path. Murder and mayhem has become a way of life and he won't stop until he gets his ultimate revenge…the bitch that goes by the name of Katrina.

Michael and Jameson the law enforcement officers in charge of ending the murder spree, continue to hunt down the cold blooded murderer. Their frustration weighs heavy on both men, as the search for the psychotic killer continues to come up empty. They know it's only a matter of time before Caleb completely snaps.

Due to a twist of fate, one of the surviving victims joins Caleb on his road to revenge. Can Michael and Jameson put an end the killing before Caleb gets his ultimate revenge?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Valerie Bowen
• Release date: May 1, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476306131

Valerie Bowen

About the author Valerie is originally from the beautiful state of Maine, where she lived until she was ten. Being young when she lived there she never appreciated the absolute beauty of the rocky coastline. Although she never live in Camden, she did have a very dear cousin that lived there and they would spend many hours in downtown Camden. When she decided to write For the Sake of Amelia she tried to imagine a great setting for the book. she thought of many places in Connecticut (where she reside now) but kept going back to her childhood and the many fond memories she held in her mind of Camden.

Book preview

Caleb Talbot, an escapee from the Kansas State Penitentiary had been on the run and evading law enforcement for a few months and had been feeling quite satisfied. With the exception of a game of chicken that ultimately ended with a fiery crash, Caleb knew the fate of all his victims. His past crimes, the ones that sent him to prison in the first place, were child’s play compared to the heinous acts that had unfolded since the time of his escape.

Michael and his canine partner Sasha banded together with Officer Jameson, a state trooper from Nebraska, to hunt down the madman and return him to prison where he belonged. The three partners combed the states of Wyoming and Montana in search of the deranged man, before the psychotic killer could claim another innocent life. They followed in Caleb’s wake from crime scene to crime scene in search of possible leads that would direct them to the heinous murderer’s hideout. They had come to a terrible realization: Caleb’s murders had not only become more frequent, they’d also become far more savage. Each murder scene proved to be more disturbing than the last.

Caleb Talbot’s hatred for Katrina Meyers, the woman who toyed with his heart, had escalated as his psychological disease progressed to dangerous levels. His only desire in life was to live long enough to fulfill his personal vendetta to kill the bitch who threatened his freedom. The disease that wreaked havoc on Caleb’s brain had changed and had altered his rational thought patterns.

Caleb’s path of death and destruction rages onward.

Chapter 1

Caleb sat in the jeep he had stolen staring off into the distance. He thought about Katrina and his need for revenge. He thought about the cop he had beaten and had later discovered from a newspaper report he had lived and was in the intensive care unit of the area hospital. He also thought about the black pick-up truck he had pushed off the road and the image of it bursting into flames that had been etched in his brain. He wondered about the man that stood on the side of the road watching the horrific scene as it unfolded. He knew the man had been connected to someone at the scene, but he wasn’t exactly positive who. He leaned over the console and removed the newspaper from the floor where he had tossed it.

He read the article that described the injuries the officer sustained during Caleb’s violent attack. The officer’s injuries included several broken ribs, a punctured lung, and a severe concussion among other numerous injuries. Caleb’s head started to throb as he remembered his latest fit of rage. He wondered how he could control himself long enough to find Katrina and end her pitiful little life, before someone ended his. He knew sooner or later someone would succeed in taking his life; he just wanted to make certain he had his revenge long before that day came.

He stared at his mug shot posted on the front page of the paper with a caption that read, Caleb Talbot escaped convict from Kansas State Penitentiary. He gritted his teeth while he wondered how the information of his escape had made the front page of the no-name rag. He longed for a way to disguise his appearance and to make himself less conspicuous to the local residents. A thought crossed his mind that although he couldn’t change his eye color or his height, he could color his hair and beard. He understood most people only recognize the obvious, which in his case would be his six foot six frame, crystal blue eyes and his sandy brown hair. The decision made, he reclined the seat and started plotting exactly what he would do when the morning sun rose. He imagined the time when he’d enter a store and start his transformation.

Katrina’s image slammed into his head as he tried to get a few hours of sleep before returning to the old abandoned house he had once shared with his wolf Cuda. He thought of the many ways he would make her suffer before he actually ended her miserable life. An evil smile crossed his face when he imagined the screams he’d hear bursting from her mouth as he relentlessly tortured her.

He pulled a pen and a small pad of paper from his gear. He started to jot down all the things he needed in order to change his image. He then made a list of items he’d need for the time spent in hiding until the local residents had long forgotten the photo that had been plastered across the news and the newspapers within the state of Montana. He thought about all the states where he’d recklessly taken or destroyed the lives of people that had threatened him over the past few months. He wondered if his face had been printed in any other small town rags.

Once he completed the list, he slowly drove the stolen jeep off the dirt road and turned west onto the main road. He knew exactly where he could stop to make his purchases.

He turned into the asphalt parking lot of a small mom and pop grocery store. Caleb took a few deep breaths before he slid out of the jeep and entered the market. He immediately approached the counter and said in a soft tone, Mrs. Hansen, how are you this morning?

The older woman appeared to be approximately seventy years old, her thick glasses were perched mid way on her nose. Her kind smile spoke volumes. Caleb deduced she either couldn’t see well, or she hadn’t read the paper. She smiled brightly and said with a shaky voice, Oh Cal, I’m fine. How are you doing this morning?

I’m fine Mrs. Hansen; could you help me with something?

Oh sure, what is it you need?

Well my fiancé sent me for some hair color and I’m not completely positive what type she’d need.

The woman smiled up at him and said with her soft sweet voice, That’s one lucky lady to get such a gentleman as you. Let me take you to the aisle where we can decide what would be best for your young lady.

They walked to the aisle where the health and beauty aids were located. The woman peered down at the boxes of various hair colors and asked, What color does she need dear? There are so many to choose from, I hope you at least know what color she would like.

Oh…ah, I guess she would want her natural hair color.

And what would that be sweetheart?

Well, her hair is…ah very dark, He peered down at the boxes and noticed a formula for beards. He picked up a box that read ‘natural dark brown’. He explained, I think I’ll get this for her brother. He had been complaining last night about the gray in his beard.

Well aren’t you sweet. She handed him a box of hair color containing natural dark brown and said, Now I’ll give you this for your young lady. If it’s not what she wants, then you can bring it back and trade it for the one she’d rather have.

Caleb removed the small box from her hand and smiled down at her. He said softly, I’m sure this will be perfect. As a matter of fact, her hair’s the same color as the model on the box.

Oh she must be a beautiful girl. You’ll have to bring her in soon so I can meet her.

I will. As a matter of fact in a couple of days we’ll be moving to Wyoming…she has family there.

That’s a shame, now I won’t be able to see one of my favorite young men.

I’m sure we’ll be back sometime. I love this area and I really don’t believe I can stay away. He followed the older woman to the counter and pulled out his wallet. He said with a slight smile on his face, I’ll definitely stop by the next time I’m in the area. I have to admit, this area has some great hiking trails.

You make sure you’re careful in those woods…I heard there has been a few men attacked by wolves recently.

Really? I’ve never come across any evidence of wolves.

Oh yes, there seems to be more and more every year. She handed him his change and continued, Just last week Mr. Barnes came across a mother and her half-grown babies. He was lucky to get away without a scratch. Some people aren’t quite so fortunate.

Do you happen to know where the wolf family was spotted?

I think Mr. Barnes mentioned the old Johnson house. She handed him his merchandise and said, That’s the old house off Union highway. I think he said there’s an old dirt road leading to the house…now don’t you go out there looking for trouble. Wolves aren’t anything to play around with.

He started to walk out the door, and paused to say, Oh don’t worry Mrs. Hansen, I’ll stay clear of that area…ah do you happen to know why he was out there?

Oh you know men; he heard there’s a vagrant living out there. He just wanted to make sure it wasn’t the man that has been in all the newspapers lately.

Huh, do you think that man…ah in the papers has been in this area?

Oh no, last I heard he was somewhere east of here. I don’t suspect there’d be a reason for a man like him to come to this area.

Caleb scowled, A man like him? What do you mean?

Oh I just meant he’s from Kansas. I wouldn’t think he’d like being in the wilderness. I had heard he’s from the big city.

I guess you’re right. He smiled and said, If you see that man you better lock the doors. I…ah don’t know why he’s been in the papers but I’m sure it’s not because he’s the man of the year.

She waved a hand in his direction and said with a giggle in her voice, Oh Cal, if anyone around here was man of the year, it would definitely be you.

He opened the door and said over his shoulder, Thank you for the warning, I’ll be sure to stay out of the woods after dark. He paused briefly before he closed the door, Mrs. Hansen, you take care of yourself, I…ah…think of you as a mother and I would hate to think of anything happening to you.

I will sweetheart, tell your girl I said hello and I hope to get to meet her one day soon.

He pulled the door closed; a tear welled in his eyes as he thought about his own mother and how he left her alone in Caribou. He slid into his jeep, fastened his seatbelt and started the engine. He backed out of his parking place and paused for a moment. He wondered if he should find a new location to hide out for a few days or if it’d be safe for him to return to the familiar abandoned house. He turned right out of the parking lot after deciding he’d find another secluded house. He wasn’t willing to take the chance of being discovered in a house the locals suspected a vagrant had been living in. He needed to find another abandoned house in the area.

Chapter 2

Jameson heard the deep growl of a wolf behind him while tending to his injured partner. Sasha rose to her feet and prepared to lunge when Jameson said firmly, Sit, Sasha!

He turned to face his intruder; he pulled out his gun and hit the safety with a quick flick of his thumb. At that moment he spied the eyes of four more wolves. He was frozen with fear. He didn’t want to startle the wolves, but he needed to keep Michael safe. He aimed the gun toward the head of what he thought to be the Alpha male and fired. All he heard from that point was the crunch of leaves and the growling of wolves. Jameson lost consciousness.

Once Jameson regained consciousness, he heard the sound of rustling leaves. Panic washed through his body just before he opened his eyes and realized he had been lying on the ground beside Michael. The sky was dark; the only light he could see was from what he thought were flashlights. He quickly rose to his feet and glanced around at the faces of ten strange men. He recognized one of the men as the officer that lent him a gun just before they vacated the scene of the accident. He said with a smile on his face, I don’t think I’ve ever been happier to see anyone before in my life.

The officer said, I kind of knew you’d run into trouble. So during the ride back to the station a few of us guys decided we’d come back and help you find your man…ah, glad we did, you and your partner were just about to be dinner for these wolves. He swept his arm to show Jameson the dead bodies of five wolves. He continued as he held his hand out toward Jameson, Name’s Bradley.

Jameson took his hand and displayed a toothy grin, I’m so glad you changed your mind. He scanned the other men and said humbly, I’m grateful to all of you for taking the time away from your families to rescue me and my partners.

Jameson peered down at Michael and Sasha who lay at his side. He sat on his haunches and said softly, Sasha, we have to get Michael out of here. She turned her head and gazed into his eyes; she rose to her feet and readied herself for the short hike to the road. Jameson noticed she seemed a little wobbly so he decided to carry her out while a few of the other men carried Michael out on a canvas stretcher. Once they were safely beside the vehicles Jameson said, I think we need to get an ambulance to take Michael to the hospital. He scanned the faces of the men and asked, Is there a good vet in the area where I can take Sasha? She appears to be wounded and I know for certain if I don’t get her taken care of, Michael will never forgive me.

One of the officers that had carried Michael said, As a matter of fact, my father-in-law’s a great vet. I’ll call him to let him know we’ll be at his office in about a half an hour.

That’d be great. He placed Sasha on the ground beside the still unconscious Michael, and she lay down on the ground beside him. Jameson sat on his haunches and ran his hand down Sasha’s body giving her a comforting pat. He said softly, Don’t worry girl, Michael will be fine. He has to go to the hospital and so do you. We’ll go see him just as soon as we get you patched up.

Bradley grasped Jameson’s shoulder and said in a firm tone, The ambulance will be here in about ten minutes. Why don’t you get your partner in the car and go see the vet... He stared down at Sasha, looks like she may need a few stitches.

Jameson scanned Sasha’s body and spied a small pool of blood on the ground beside her. He said, I’d like to wait if you don’t mind; besides if I know Sasha she won’t leave until she knows Michael’s safe. He looked into the eyes of the big dog and said calmly, Michael’s going to be fine, let’s get you to the vet.

She lifted her head and started to whine. Jameson explained to Bradley, She won’t leave, she’ll fight me every step of the way if I try to haul her out of here. I know you must think of her as only a dog, but she’s his partner. She’s been trained to stay with him until he’s safe. She’s just doing what she has been trained to do. I refuse to force her to do something against her training. She’ll be fine once Michael’s in the ambulance.

Bradley scrubbed a hand over his head and said calmly, I wish human partners would be more like her. I was left alone once and I have to admit I was afraid I was going to lose my life.

What happened that caused your partner to leave you?

Well, it was his first day on the force, and he wasn’t exactly the bravest individual. We ran up against a bank robbery in progress…well to make a long story short; he refused to have my back. I didn’t realize he wasn’t backing me up until it was nearly too late. He ran from the scene and left me to face three armed men alone. Thankfully, I had called for back-up before we entered the building or I would have been dead on the scene.

What would make a person like your partner think law enforcement would be a good career move? I mean we’re taught in the first few weeks of class what we’re going to be up against…as a matter of fact we’re told if we didn’t think we could do it, then we may as well choose a different career.

Yeah well, this guy came to us highly recommended. As a matter of fact, he graduated top in his class. I would have never thought a man like him would’ve turned and run the first day in the field. He looked Jameson in the eye and said firmly, I would love to have a partner like Sasha; she’s proven to be stronger than most men. Although I have to admit, you walked into a wolf-infested forest to save the life of your partner. I’m sure once your guy comes out of his coma, he’ll agree you’re far braver than the average officer. I know for sure I would have waited by the side of the road rather than take the chance of running into a pack of hungry wolves with just a single gun. I’m honored to be a part of this rescue.

Jameson pulled his eyes from the officer’s and said calmly, He’s my partner, like Sasha’s my partner. I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if I had left him in those woods to die. When I signed onto the Kansas police force, I signed on to protect him with my life…unfortunately, I didn’t figure wolves into the picture. He lifted his head when he heard a siren in the distance, I guess they’ll be here any second. Once Michael’s loaded into the back of the ambulance, I’ll take Sasha to the vet… He turned his gaze toward Bradley, Please make sure you alert the hospital staff that I’ll be bringing in his canine partner. Also tell them to put him in a room where she can stay with him should the need arise. I don’t want her to think Michael’s dead…she needs to know she protected him and he’s safe.

Bradley clapped him on the shoulder and said in a stern tone, I’ll make certain the hospital accommodates this officer…I just hope he isn’t out for an extended period of time. I heard animals sometimes get depressed and refuse to eat.

I certainly hope that isn’t the case with Sasha. Michael’s a tough guy, he’ll come around in no time.

The ambulance parked beside the small group of men. The paramedics leapt from the vehicle and started the task of prepping Michael for the trip to the hospital. Jameson heard a moan coming from Michael when they lifted the stretcher and placed it on a gurney. Jameson smiled down at Sasha and said, He’s going to be alright. Now let’s go get you patched up so we can get to Michael as soon as possible.

Once the ambulance doors were closed with Michael safely inside, Sasha rose to her feet and glanced up