Every Flame in Hell: Chief Detective Stephen Kiss, #2

By WJ Ackermann

Chief Detective Stephen Kiss and his team must find a killer who has crept into the hearts of the public. The city's worst criminals are being burned alive. It does not take long before the press hails the vigilante killer as a hero. Stephen fears copy-cat killers eager to share in the vigilante's fame will soon follow suit.

While fighting changes in their department, the team must take extra measures not to be side-tracked and keep their focus. The case leaves Stephen and the team amid a moral conundrum as they seek a killer who is doing humanity a favor. As morale in the office dips to an all-time low, Stephen knows he must find the answers to a friend's darkest secrets.

When the killer announces a promise to ignite the ultimate Flame of Hell and kill 'even those who consider themselves innocent', the team knows they have one chance to prevent a mass murder… The worst the city has ever seen.

• Language: English
• Publisher: MarPrints
• Release date: Feb 9, 2021
• ISBN: 9780620841160

Book preview

EVERY FLAME IN HELL

A DETECTIVE STEPHEN KISS CRIME THRILLER BOOK 2

WJ ACKERMANN

Copyright © 2019 by WJ Ackermann ISBN: 9780620841160. All rights reserved worldwide. The author prohibits reproduction of any portion of this book in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including data storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except in the instance of a reviewer who may quote brief passages embodied in critical articles or a follow-up. Trademarked names appear throughout this volume. Rather than use a trademark symbol with every occurrence of a trademarked name, the author uses names, with no purpose of infringement of the respective owner’s trademark. Although the author took, every care for in preparing this work, neither the writer nor the publisher shall bear any liability to any individual or entity regarding any deprivation or impairment caused or allegedly caused directly or indirectly by the information in this volume. Jacket images altered; original images, Copyright Bjorgvin Gudmundsson used under license from Stockvault.com; and Flame Font under license from Hiclipart.com

BOOKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR:

Chief Detective Stephen Kiss Series

The Canvas Killer

Every Flame in Hell

The Killer in You

The Process of Dying

PROLOGUE

The arsonist stands on the pavement opposite the burning Colonial-style house, situated in the quiet suburban neighborhood, and watches the angry tongues of the fire hungrily slurping and licking the black soot covered brick walls through the broken windows of the house.

The glow of the fire reflects and shines on the pyromaniac’s amazed eyes and he watches in awe as the roof of the building sags on the left side. Embers shower from the burning roof and sweat pours from the arsonist’s face, as he looks up, transfixed by the beauty of the fire. The heat from the fire sweeps through his body, unable to move, or to take his eyes from the fire. He is oblivious of the screaming neighbors as they rush from their houses, unaffected by the fire. Nor will it be. The arsonist has made sure no damage came to the innocent. The flames of Hell were only intended for the sinners inside the burning house.

He smiles hatefully as he inhales deeply, smelling the sweet smell of their burning flesh. He keeps his eyes open as the black smoke rises above the building and the neighbors around him cough uncontrollably. He imagines the billows of black smoke are the souls of the people inside ascending to Hell. The people at whose bound feet, he built the incendiary device which would burn their flesh to smoldering ashes, as they deserved.

Ashes to Ashes, as it should be.

The fire engine parking in front of him blocks his view and the arsonist turns around and walks past the hysterical neighbors, not hearing their cries, neither seeing nor hearing the sirens of more fire engines speeding past him.

His face is now sad, but feeling contented and he says aloud to the person he knows is watching and listening.

I fulfilled my promise: Every Flame in Hell has burned their worthless bodies. May their evil souls burn within The Eternal Flame.

CHAPTER 1

Chief Detective Stephen Kiss sits at a round table absentmindedly playing with the empty champagne glass. His other hand wiggles his gray tie. To Stephen, it feels as if it has come to life and wants to choke him to death. He moves his head at odd angles, trying to ease the tension and force air into his constricted airway. The voice of the new mayor’s speech, from the podium in front of the filled auditorium, drones from a distance into his ears.

Stephen looks at the faces of his colleagues seated at the same table with him. Next to him to his left, Chief Superintendent Elijah Burnett sits dressed in full police regalia, medals pinned in rows onto the breast of his smart black blazer as he patiently awaits his turn at the podium.

Stephen thinks whomever organized this event did not know Elijah Burnett from a day. The superintendent, whom his team has fondly named, Captain, after the captain in the pirate movies, would have preferred a glass of whiskey at the local bar, instead, shared with his friends as a retirement party, rather than this function. Next to him his elegant wife, Lady Cynthia sits proudly smiling. Stephen assumes the old lady had a lot to do with the captain’s decision to retire a year earlier than his official retirement date.

Next, to the lady, Detective Sally Long and Harriett Spark sit, both dressed in black evening dresses. Sally is Asian and fluent in twelve languages, incredibly nosey and one of the most attentive detectives Stephen had ever worked with.

Harriet Spark is a perfectionist and runs Stephen’s administration office with an iron fist.

Opposite Stephen, the young computer genius, Donovan sits. Stephen only now realizes he does not remember or maybe even knows his surname. He saved the genius hacker from incarceration, and the young man has proved to be a loyal and trusted colleague. He looks at Donovan, sees the young man is just as uncomfortable in his suit and tie, and remembers the time when Donovan was a shy, eccentric recluse in the office. The British man came to life during their last case when two crazed serial killers roamed and terrorized the art world in New York, but his personality remained the same: quiet and eccentric.

Stephen remembers the case where his friend and colleague, Detective Bill Farrell, whom Stephen called Bull, were shot to death. Stephen imagines Bull with them at the table and lowers his head for a second in remembrance.

Next to Donovan, Detective Jason Collins sits. The detective joined their team after Bull’s death. Stephen has called him badass during their previous case, because the well-mannered and extremely likable detective turned into a mean badass during interrogations.

Next, to Stephen to his right, Dr. Mike Herring, a criminal behaviorist and psychiatrist, is seated, looking comfortable in his dark suit. Mike has become a friend to Stephen, and he places his hand softly on Mike’s leg under the table, thinking how blessed he was to have Mike in his life.

Superintendent Burnett rises from his chair, and Stephen realizes the mayor has finished and the captain was about to make his speech.

Stephen sits up in his chair and listens attentively as the captain begins his speech:

I would like to thank everyone here tonight and everyone who contributed or had a hand in organizing this for me. The mayor called me the father of the Specialized and Combined Taskforce; I will have to correct him. The reason I decided to take retirement a year earlier is, I will soon be the grandfather of the Taskforce and to a small wriggling little boy, he announces proudly and the guests start clapping. Stephen smiles at Lady Cynthia, feeling happy on her behalf for having a grandson and her husband home soon.

As a parting gift to my team; Stephen in particular, but every other person who worked with me through the years, as my last official act of Chief Superintendent, I am appointing Dr. Mike Herring as Department Psychiatrist and Criminal Behavioral Consultant to our team. The captain says and more clapping follows his words.

Stephen squeezes Mike’s hand under the table, but prays this will not affect his personal or professional life, albeit the captain’s good intentions.

Unfortunately, I was not part of the electoral process of my successor. The team will have to wait until Monday to know who will be in my office. Burnett says from the podium.

Stephen’s pager vibrates in his pocket. The fire chief, he whispers softly to Mike and motions to Collins to join him as he stands up from the table and briskly walks to the exit. In the foyer, he tells Collins the fire chief paged him and takes his phone from his suit pocket and dials the number. The booming voice of the chief resonates on the phone as he answers.

Stevie, I have one or, more precisely; six Crispies for you. I am texting the address to you now. Hope you had supper already because you won’t eat after smelling this, he says and hangs up.

Okay, Collins, we have six burned bodies. The chief is sending us the address now and you drive. You know I suck at it. Stephen says, throwing his car keys to Collins.

CHAPTER 2

Detective Jason Collins drives the department issued black Chevy SUV at an incredible speed through the streets of the residential neighborhood on their way to the address the fire chief texted. Stephen muses at the sight of the identical houses flashing past his view from the passenger side window.

Stephen did not pass up on the chance to let anyone else drive. Driving was a chore he preferred to do when he could bully no one else into doing it, but still, he had the habit of criticizing his or her driving skills.

Could you go any faster? Are you on your way to your first date? Stephen criticizes.

Not a first one, but if we hurry, I could get back to the party and get one with the new mayor’s daughter. She has been eyeing me since we got to the table. Collins says.

Well, a can of worms I gladly leave to you to open. Stephen states.

The chief sure we are needed and foul play suspected? Collins asks, This must be a decent quiet neighborhood, the average Jones’. Isn’t it just another tragic house fire with the family trapped inside, when it burned?

Fire Chief de Vasco doesn’t make mistakes, I am afraid. If he calls, bet he has a good reason. Stephen answers.

In the distance billowing smoke above the rooftops of the clone houses comes into view.

Think we must switch the GPS off and head towards the smoke signal, Collins jokes as he slows and cautiously drives over a high-speed bump in front of the local school.

Two blocks further, they drive towards the flashing blue and red lights and the thick black smoke engulfing the area. The houses in the street are more of the identical styled houses they drove past for the last thirty minutes. Collins parks the SUV behind a fire engine and the two detectives exit the car.

The fire chief is in a deep conversation with his right-hand man and head technician Danny Robin. Stephen looks at the carnage the fire caused to the structure. If the houses were not clones, Stephen would not have guessed he was looking at something once resembling the neighbor’s houses. Only the four walls of the garage, with the garage door still closed, survived the fire. The house lay in heaps of rubble next to it.

Stephen looks at the neighbors standing behind the barricades, most of them crying. A close-knit neighborhood who mourns their neighbors, Stephen notices.

Stephen takes a minute to access the scene in its entirety.

Eight feet high, wooden fences separate the houses only at the sides. The two houses next to the rubble are miraculously unscathed and Stephen finds it strange. Even the wooden fences are unscathed. Seven family cars of different makes are in the driveway of a house at the end of the street and Stephen suspects the neighbors drove their cars to a safer distance away from the fire. Stephen is amazed at the wave of heat still emitting from the rubble. Two firefighters periodically spray more water on areas of the rubble where the fire tries to come to life again.

Fire Chief Graham de Vasco; walks in their direction and the African American’s guttural voice bellows at them while he is approaching them.

Detectives, you fellas sure are overdressed for my barbecue, he crudely jokes.

The captain’s farewell party, Stephen states.

Oh well, then for the better you are here. Can’t think me fraternizing and eating with them folks, he chuckles loudly.

One hell of a fire, Chief.

Sure was Steveo, a real bad one, burned this here house to ashes in fifteen minutes. Sodden souls in there had no chance, he says, shaking his head.

The chief yells obscenities to a bewildered firefighter who is walking towards the rubble.

Imbeciles, the ladies for unknown reasons have a sick fetish when it’s a coming to firemen and their uniforms, or something, must be the only reason these boys are wearing them. Too dumb to do the job! the chief booms.

Stephen worked with the chief during previous investigations and he remembers the chief was way over retirement age. The chief believes he could not leave the job to the younger generation and allow them to screw everything up. The truth was the young firemen who worked with him were not imbeciles and are highly trained. Chief Graham de Vasco was a character on his own, Stephen suspected the thought of retiring, and not being part of the job he lived for, scared the hell from the old chief.

My right-hand man is the exception, the chief says as the head technician Danny Robin’s lean figure joins them.

Danny, you tell these here detectives why we called them. Let me get those idiots doing something useful, he says, already walking towards the young men.

Danny Robin extends his hand and shakes the detectives’ hands in a firm strong shake.

Detective Collins, Stephen introduces the two men who have not met yet.

Danny Robin does a head nod, affirming acquaintance. Stephen knows the forty-five-year-old Robin to be brisk and to the point. He is serious and not one for small talk. He is very good at his job and if a Professoriate in the science of determining the cause, ignition point and gathering of evidence between ashes existed; Danny Robin would have one, Stephen thinks as he watches the serious face of the man frowning and looking at the debris.

What do we have Danny? Stephen asks business-like.

Hell if I know yet, Kiss. There is a lot of things just not making sense to me yet, he says, still frowning, But give me a few hours and I will tell you exactly how it was done, he says confidently.

Then why call us now? Collins asks rudely.

No need for that Collins, Stephen stops Collins before he antagonizes the head tech even more. Rather start with the uniforms and neighbors. Find out their versions of what went down here, he diplomatically sends Collins away. Collins stomps off towards the uniforms and neighbors.

Before Stephen apologizes or remark on Collins’ behavior, Danny Robin says:

I get that a lot, don’t worry. I make enemies unknowingly, Danny Robin says in a matter-of-fact tone.

Nah, Collins is bull-headed, but no enemy. What’s baffling you about this one, Dan?

Didn’t want to be evasive before Stephen, you know me; I don’t speak to you guys before I can give you every detail and put every scrap of evidence on the table, but okay let me tell you what I know then. There are six corpses between those ashes and they were bound with chains on chairs with their backs to each other, placed in a circle and set alight, Danny points to a heap of rubble with his finger, What is left of them. I will give you more details about them when I am finished with the report. Secondly, what baffled me the minute I stopped here. We got a call from the neighbors at about ten o’clock when they said they saw smoke coming from the window. Quarter past when we arrived, the house was burned to the ground. Tells me was one hell of a fire and an accelerant must have been used. Then you would expect the fire to have spread to the neighbors, especially with the lawns and the wooden fences making it easier, but the fire was contained to only this house. And look at the garage still standing, but the inside is scorched, he says amazed and continues, barely taking a breath. There are too many things not making sense. One thing is sure it was not just a can of gasoline poured around the house by the killer. He used fire blankets, placed against the fences to prevent the fire from spreading to the neighbor’s houses. This fire was only directed at the people in this house, an arsonist with a conscience. By Monday morning, you will know the brand of matches he used. For now, Kiss, let me get on with it then. He says and walks off towards the rubble again.

Collins is standing next to a crying woman as Stephen approaches him.

On the way here I said the neighborhood was the kind the average Jones family will stay in? Turns out it belongs to Bob and Fiona Jones, who stayed here with their four sons. Family carpentry business and have been neighbors for the past decade. Same old story: decent, loving family, etc. etc. Collins says.

I hate fire scenes, Collins. Nothing works the way I am used to, Stephen complains, At my crime scenes; I want the coroner to walk in with me and be able to see the bodies and know what we are dealing with. I want the techs combing the scene with a fine-toothed comb. I want Richard and his team in there with me, but when a house burns this way, with only ashes remaining; they box the charred remains and send it to the coroner. Danny, the person you tried to piss off is the best you will find, but he is the entire forensic team. You might as well go back to your party. Drop me off at the Machine and I will open and file what we have. It’s Friday night. Monday morning at least we will have reports and know where to start. Stephen despondently says.

CHAPTER 3

Monday morning at 7:00 A.M., Chief Detective Stephen Kiss parks his vehicle in the underground parking lot of the building where the offices of the Specialized and Combined Taskforce are situated. The modern glass and steel monstrosity was the brainchild of the previous mayor who thought visible policing was the way to get re-elected. Unfortunately, his re-election strategy failed, but the building and the force it housed is highly successful. Stephen has been part of the force since its inception, every division formerly housed in different buildings in the city, now housed in the monstrosity. Stephen named the building, the Machine because of its effectiveness and because it functioned 24 Hours.

Stephen sits for a minute in the car before he climbs out and wonders to himself, whom the new chief superintendent will be. Elijah Burnett was a tough, but reasonable superintendent and gave Stephen full reign during investigations. The captain handled the politicians and worked behind the scenes to enable Stephen to do his job. Rarely did he interfere, and if he did, Stephen knew him to be fair. Stephen wonders why the new superintendent’s appointment has been clouded with so much secrecy and hoped his working conditions could remain, as it was when Burnett was at the steer.

Stephen goes through the security gates, signs a log, and enters the elevator behind the receptionist. As the door closes, a hand stops the door from closing and they open again. Two black-suited men with dark sunglasses and wires snaking from their collars into their ears stand in front of the opening doors and Stephen sees the new mayor standing behind them. He waits for them to enter the elevator and presses the button to his level again. He smiles to himself as he observes the two drones, thinking how ridiculous they looked and acted and he imagines what type of moron you must be to be so stereotypical. The elevator doors open, and the mayor, and his two drones exit the elevator. Stephen exits and takes the opposite direction towards his office.

He finds Donovan transfixed to his computers behind his workstation and the young man only winks a greeting to Stephen. Sally and Spark enter chattering as they do.

Morning Boss; do you want a cup of coffee? Sally asks, heading towards the coffee machine.

Make the coffee extra strong, please, Stephen answers.

You will need it; the new mayor is having a press conference at 8:00 A.M. introducing the new chief superintendent. And the newbie wants a team meeting at 9:00 A.M. Spark informs them.

Introducing him to the public before we even know? What is up with the secrecy? Stephen asks.

We will soon see. I want to get the reports from the fire chief and the coroner before nine. I will be right back. Spark says.

Where is Collins? Stephen asks, looking at his watch.

Right here, Collins says, entering the office.

"Glad everyone is here then. Collins; steal a TV from someone’s office. The only way to find out who our new boss will be is to watch the press