Mangled: A Thought Provoking and Heart Pounding Serial Killer Thriller

By Zachary Prescott

“We found another body! Eleven!”
Eleven, the total count of dead bodies found under water.
Who could be responsible?
Detective Jake paused, looked befuddled and short on thoughts and words. “The count should be ten… the bodies should be ten and not eleven!”He was sure as he could ever be about the body count; one for every year and eleven just wasn’t right. “Something is wrong!” he concluded, he looked back and gasped as the dragged bagged body looks just like the ones he had dropped in there.
There was never meant to be an eleventh body… something didn’t feel right… something wasn’t.
Agent Sean Stein, an intelligence officer from the anti-terrorist watch team has been brought in by the top CIA operatives to unravel the mysteries surrounding the bodies and hunt down the serial killer.
For what reasons could Agent Stein be drafted to handle this case? Something else is at play here.
The police at NYPD ran some of the prints and Susan, Agent Stein’s ex-wife was one of the victims.
Sean wasn’t going to get all soft now because he had heard his ex-wife who left him and ran off got killed.
One thing he didn’t know is that his ex-wife was pregnant with his child when she was murdered.
“Believable characters and a compelling storyline “____Library Journal
“Every page bears a fresh surprise, a believable high-tech thriller” ___ Indie awards.org
“Heart pounding thriller! This book is going to keep you glued” ____ Daniel Simmons

• Language: English
• Publisher: Publishdrive
• Release date: Jun 6, 2021

Book preview

Prologue

F

eeling the morning sun sting his skin, while trying hard to remain negligent of the fact that everything around him wasn’t ideal for a Monday morning in the office, he sighed and closed his eyes one more time. The images weren’t meant to fade away, neither were they meant to disappear like he had not seen them, but some part of him wished that was the case; some part wanted it all to come to nothing but hoax and false cry from the witness who had found them.

Hearing the voices hum and chum around didn’t do any better either.

Six! We have six confirmed! a feminine voice cried aloud, piling on his misery and sending some more cold chills down his spine like never before.

Shit! he mumbled underneath his breath, trying hard not to let the words air aloud.

He wasn’t sure if it was the incident itself that bothered him the most or maybe the fact he was okay with when the count was just four. He felt even better when it was three and two and just one, but best when it wasn’t discovered at all and there was zero count. The best part of his day had been when the phone call had not come in.

Taking in another deep breath, one of many he was definitely going to do for the day, he bit his lower lip, cringed within and mumbled, How is this happening?

The questions remained endless and his reasoning had begun to spiral out of control. Those around worked on regardless and wouldn’t even stop to notice the man standing on the muddy grounds with them whose consciousness was nowhere where they were at present. The thought of peeling apart his eyelids and staring at the ignorant souls around him who had begun tearing through his work was hurting and even more was the fact he had to deal with what would come afterwards.

The press! he thought. Those vultures will be here soon enough!

He was right as rain and all through his years as a detective, he had never been able to fathom how they came to know of incidents which prompted their white vans to come rolling through without a single hint of their coming. He would keep them out of it for now though; at least, if only he could.

Seven! I have seven bodies now! the same lady screamed out aloud and he felt his misery only skyrocket immediately.

The count will only increase and nothing could be done about it. There were too many unanswered questions too but first, he needed to play the part or at least see things through before what would come next.

Detective Jake! Detective Jake! he heard the persistent voice ringing and dragging the man out from his belly of drowning thoughts.

Jake parted his eyelids open to permit the golden rays of the sun seeping through the branches and leaves of the canopies of trees ahead. His nostrils sucked in ample amount of flavored air tainted by the forest into his lungs as well, while his instincts kicked into place immediately.

The voice came closer with a rather touching tone to it. Are you alright sir? If you need some air, you should step away from here to have it.

Jake took his time to let it all in; in his line of work and with the bountiful amount of secrets to hide, appearances was everything. With a smile and a rather straight face denoting nothing but his brilliant self as always, Jake nodded and reached for the young officer’s shoulder.

I am fine thank you… , he paused looked around and at the revelation of his handwork which was never meant to come to light and was now laid bare on the ground. Walk me through everything you’ve got and we will see where we’d begin from there.

The young officer nodded, sighed and turned around to look at the floor, as did Jake and his entire consciousness as he did well to bury and blur out any distractions that might make him begin to look nervous.

A deep diver called this morning to report seeing strange things floating in the waters that seemed like body parts, the officer explained.

Jake paused, nodded and spoke. What’s your name?

Sam, he replied abruptly. Sam White, sir.

Jake looked on but without being impressed. He was dealing with a rookie and one who obviously wasn’t mesmerized by the sheer numbers of dead bodies before him; talk less of being rattled by them.

I’m working with a fucking newbie and a know-it-all, he concluded to his own distasteful acknowledgment.

Sam obviously was young and Jake would have assumed he was too young to be in the force, had he not been drafted in as one of the youngest detective and homicide officer ten years ago for his keen observation and abilities to close any murder case.

I must confess that I have heard so much about you Sir and I am sure I can be of value to this investigation, Sam ranted on.

Jake shrugged, shoved past the newbie and stood before the bodies which were being brought out in increasing numbers from underneath the water. Any theories on what happened to them?

Sam shook his head, Obviously we’re dealing with a serial killer but nobody knows what the sick fucker who did this is all about… I mean, I have reviewed every bloody serial killings case in the past fifteen years and nothing like this comes close.

His insight struck Jake, who slowly turned around and smiled before dipping his hands into his pockets. Really? You have?

Sam nodded intensely. Yes and this is different… almost like the killer never wanted these to be found.

Jake couldn’t believe his ears but the young man was indeed right.

Shit! he thought to himself. How many bodies in total have been found? he asked.

Responding with another large black bag, tied around its neck was a lady donning body fit swimming gears as some more men appeared from beneath the water. We have ten… ten total kill and that might just be all.

Jake looked around and counted the large black bags by himself to conviction. Ten victims.

The numbers added up but to a good distaste to his belly as the revelations about to come pouring in threatened to collapse his stomach walls.

We will have our forensics comb through everybody here to determine what sick maniac we are dealing with and whether there are evidences left behind, she noted.

Jake reached out his hand to meet hers halfway, I am Detective Jake Sullivan NYPD.

Replying with a soft snort and subtle smile, she answered. Sarah Connell. I know who you are Detective Jake. Your reputation in the department is hardly something anyone can breeze past.

He could tell she was flirting with him. The signs were there, from the smile on her face to the unwillingness to let go of his hand and not to mention her absolutely relaxed pose for someone who had just dived into deep water to get out bodies of dead people dumped there by the most vicious serial killer they might have come to see for years.

I am glad we’d be working together on this, she continued.

He was going to ask why and had already parted his lips open before he halted. He needed to refrain himself from speaking too much and especially when he still could not grasp how they had come to find the bodies.

I’m guessing you and I will be working a lot together on this case, she added. I am the profiler assigned to the case.

With a raised brow, Jake asked. And the swimming?

She shrugged, looked back at the swimming gear and smiled. An extracurricular activity that came in handy I’d say. It pays to be the states swimming champion for three years in a row.

Her charm exuded highly from within her and he could feel himself almost neglecting the pressing issues that brought him to the crime scene. On a normal day, he would make his move and see an end to their dalliance over an expensive bottle of wine and the rose-laden bed of his at his condo, but not today; not now or anytime in the future if he could help it.

I need everything you have on this and get it ready for me within the day, he ordered with a smile. You will be working with Sam here and I’m sure he’d have good theories to help you get into the mind of whoever did this.

With a subtle wave and tiredness in his limbs while he stood and watched his works of art get unraveled, Detective Jake turned back around and began walking away. He needed the fresh air after all and anything else he could get to calm his nerves would be more than welcomed.

They found them all… ten freaking bodies! he muttered to himself incoherently with each step furthering him away from the crime scene.

He was never one to believe in bad luck but something about the week didn’t feel right. Just the other day, he almost got rammed through by a large truck and had barely escaped with the help of his handbrake and now, his life’s work in the shadows and the belly of the dark was about to get blown into the open. His secrets were laid bare on the muddy swamp grounds he had often stood to watch and acknowledge to himself that they could never come to light.

Who did this? he queried himself before catching sight of a man being tended to by the medics.

Looking shabby and baldy shaken by what he had seen, Detective Jake couldn’t have imagined any normal person would look any different from the man.

Are you the one who called this in? he raised his voice and waved from afar while the man nodded in attestation.

Detective Jake drew closer, feeling his breath heighten with each passing second and his heart racing wildly from underneath his rib cage like it would tear out anytime soon.

Hello! I am Detective Jake from the NYPD, the Detective reached for the shaken man’s hand before retracting his from the cold and shaky frail one of his witness.

Stuttering and barley able to let the words out, the man sniffed. I… I… the… the leg touched my face… a freaking decapitated leg touched my face and I might have swallowed some hair too.

Listening to his rambling only made the Detective pity the witness and what he had seen. For one with experience on such sightings, he knew too well just how many never recovered from such findings.

I need you to calm down Sir… I need you to tell me exactly what you saw, he encouraged the startled and frightened looking fellow.

His face had turned white and his lips continued to tremble to no end. His accent, majorly Caucasian meant he wasn’t from around, and his sandy hair did well to just about cover his eyes as they dropped down over his face.

I come here to swim once or twice a year, seeing it is far from the beach or any of those places filled with people, he finally explained in a much better tone. Who would do such a thing?

Did you see anyone when you came in or anything out of the ordinary? Detective Jake queried.

Shaking his head fervently, the man replied with a staunch tone. No.

Detective Jake could spot a dead end when he saw one and he would do better snacking on some doughnut and washing it down with self-regret and paranoia in his office, about how one of the best homicide detectives in recent years was about being found out to be a killer and a damn crazy predator at that.

Thank you mister… , he paused and waited for the name.

Walt… my name is Walt, the response came in better and more composed tone.

Mr. Walt… thank you, he noted. Should we need any more information from you, we will be in touch.

He had lied through his teeth but it was necessary to keep up appearances still. He would mourn his situation later and in private but first, he needed to get out of there. It didn’t matter what it would look like, but he needed to and fast. He had barely taken five steps away from the ambulance trucks when the news vans began swarming into the site like cockroaches in an infestation parade.

Here they come, he thought while his stomach sunk deeper than it already had. Fucking roaches.

The melee was just about beginning but something else lurked underneath the water of secrets behind him and it soon reared its ugly severed head as he heard the cry, We found another body! Eleven!

Detective Jake paused, looked befuddled and short on thoughts and words. The count should be ten… the bodies should be ten and not eleven!

He was sure as he could ever be about the body count; one for every year and eleven just wasn’t right.

Something is wrong! he concluded, looked back and gasped as they dragged bagged body just like the ones he had dropped in there.

There was never meant to be an eleventh body… something didn’t feel right… something definitely wasn’t.

Chapter One

W

atching the cloud stroll by and the heavens looking like it was about pouring down torridly, Sean Stein stared at his watch and temporarily dragged himself out from the outside view of the office he had not once but many times been invited into for the wrong reasons. His persistence towards finding out what he had been called to the head office for had been shut down time and time and again, but he senses something deeper was at work.

I didn’t get into trouble this time around, did i? he thought to himself with a rather whimsical smile tearing his face apart.

He had been warned and his last straw was the last time he shot a witness in the name of self-defense during a drug bust gone bad. Shifting uncomfortably in his seat and clearing his throat while he tossed a mint gum into it, he felt his stomach get unsettled and his neck cringe with pan from the sleepless night upon getting the text message.

The door swung open behind him and his senses kicked into place. The oval looking room, decorated like a third world war room suddenly sent shivers down his spine while the recording camera hanging in the Far East corner of the room continued to focus solely on him. He was being watched and he didn’t need anyone to tell him just how important it would be to be at his best behavior.

Agent Stein! the rough sounding voice came calling before some more footsteps crashed the silence within the room.

Sean remained still and made certain not to turn around as