Sagittarius: Murders of the Zodiac, #11

By Paris Morgan

The noose has tightened, but it isn't over yet.

The end of the Zodiac is nearing with at an impossible pace. Leslie and Ryan are in over their heads as the Zodiac Master triples his number of deadly assassins. With death and destruction surrounding them, the FBI team needs to get a step ahead.

Their enemy is more fatal than ever before and Leslie and Ryan need a lead to bring an end to the brutal killings, but as they tighten the noose around the Zodiac Master, new clues brings them to a halt.

As they try and round up the Zodiac Master's ruthless killers, everything begins to spiral out of control. Leslie knew capturing the nightmare of the last eleven months wouldn't be easy, but she didn't expect it to find terror right on her doorstep.

The Zodiac Master might just be someone closer than Leslie ever imagined…

Paris Morgan increases the pace in the eleventh installment of Murders of the Zodiac. With the Master of the Zodiac within their reach, Ryan and Leslie have to forget everything they thought they knew about him, if they finally want to bring his evil empire down.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Paris Morgan
• Release date: Nov 23, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223011149

Book preview

Dedication

This book is dedicated to my readers, who never know what’s about to happen.

Chapter 1

Birmingham, Alabama

Today was my birthday. Not that it made any difference in how I did things, though. Everything would be the exact same as any other day. Growing up, my parents hadn’t treated it any differently, so I didn’t know it was supposed to be something special.

Over the years, I hadn’t changed much in the way of celebrating, except I always ordered myself a nice dinner, something special just for me. I didn’t spend money on frivolous things, but I made an exception to observing the passing of another year of my birth.

Work had been exceptionally hard today, and I wasn’t about to spend the evening recapping all the things that had gone wrong. It was time for me to put my feet up and relax.

Since I rarely ordered out for food, I had to dig through the drawer for the takeout menu for the Garden Royal, the one restaurant that made meals I highly enjoyed.

After I ordered, my mouth began to water, just thinking about the flavors that would soon be bursting over my tongue. I was going to need to pair my chicken salad with a flavorful wine.

I had a nice collection of wines that I rarely indulged in, but today was the perfect occasion.

The cork released with a pop as I set it out on the counter to breathe while I went to change into something a little more comfortable.

Slipping off my black wingtip shoes, I changed into my khakis, polo shirt, and comfortable loafers. Some men slouched around in sweatpants and house shoes, but that wouldn’t do tonight. Not with the amazing meal I was about to partake in.

Maybe my obsessive habits for being well-dressed, even when at home, were part of the reason I was about to hit my mid-thirties without a woman by my side. Although having one in my life would make keeping the place spotless almost impossible. Then there were the massive amounts of money she would spend...

I shook my head. I was single for a reason.

The doorbell rang, and I moved quickly to grab my money clip as I answered the door.

I have a delivery for Reginald? The woman pulled on her hat as she eyed me.

With a nod of acknowledgment, I slipped out a fifty-dollar bill.

There’s no charge. It’s on the house, she mumbled.

Keep it as a tip, then. I smiled as I took the handle of the bag, proclaiming fast food with an amazing taste.

Thanks. Hope you enjoy your evening, she added before she turned and walked toward the street.

I carried the bag to the table, barely able to contain my excitement.

After plating the food and pouring myself a glass of wine, I sat at the table and breathed in the wonderful aromas.

Trying to take small, measured bites was difficult because of the need to inhale my food. I’d been overweight as a child, and this was one way to make sure that I didn’t overeat anymore.

Scraping the last bite of chicken and lettuce onto my fork, I noticed a piece of paper on the plate. I must have lifted it out of the pan when I moved the food over.

Turning it over with my fork, I was shocked to find a handwritten message on it.

Hope you enjoyed the meal. I made it special just for you. Now, you’re dead.

What on earth? I mumbled aloud as I stared at the paper. I rose from the table to reach for the phone on the kitchen counter because I didn’t believe in eating dinner with a phone screen glued to my face.

My hand shook as I grabbed at the phone, and then my knees collapsed underneath me.

I tried to dial 9-1-1, but couldn’t tell if I connected, because everything sounded fuzzy.

Hello 9-1-1, what is your emergency? a voice asked, but received no response.

***

Montgomery, Alabama

It had been a long morning, and I couldn’t wait to get outside for a breath of fresh air. This job had gotten harder to come to everyday. So much so, I was about ready to tell them to shove it. You couldn’t do what you were supposed to for fear you’d get in trouble, but then you’d get in trouble for not doing it in the first place.

I rubbed the back of my neck, hoping to release some of the tension that had been lingering all through the meeting this morning. It was still beyond my comprehension as to why they’d put such a young idiot in charge of our division. He was related to someone higher-up, and that would get you all sort of privileges. If only he would just sit in his office and let the rest of us be. We’d manage to survive and get things done the way they were supposed to.

If upper management didn’t figure it out pretty soon, our whole department was going to stage a walkout one day in the near future.

Anyway, I wasn’t going to spend the precious few minutes I had on my lunch break worrying over a stupid company that didn’t even care about us. It was my birthday, for goodness’ sake, and I was going to make it a good one.

The hunched-over figure of a woman caught my attention as she fought to make her way across the street. A large bus was heading toward her, and I did the only thing anyone with a heart would do. I jumped into the street and pushed her out of the way. There wasn’t enough time for the bus to stop or even swerve before it hit me.

I swore the last thing I heard was someone whispering to me...

Another one, killed with kindness.

***

Tuscaloosa, Alabama

The doorbell rang as the sun started to set, and I groaned in frustration.

Why was it that every time I’d tried to get some sleep today, because I was homesick, someone or something interrupted me? Was the entire world against me? I wondered as I slid on a pair of comfy house shoes and shuffled slowly to the door as the doorbell rang out with another shrill noise.

Hold on, I’m coming! I yelled, but it came out as more of a squeak because of my sore throat.

I yanked the door open, not even caring that I didn’t have a shirt on.

Yes? I growled at the delivery person.

I have a delivery for Timothy Smith. She gave me a toothy smile.

Who on earth would send me flowers? I shielded my eyes from the light streaming in through the open door.

You’ll have to check the card, sir. We’re just supposed to deliver it. She shoved the pot of flowers into my empty hands.

Thanks for nothing, I grumbled, backing into the house and slamming the door behind me.

I placed the flowers on the counter and pulled out the card.

Happy Birthday! It read, causing me to scratch my head. No one in my family would send me flowers. I mean, I was a guy, and cool with the whole everything was equal thing, but most guys didn’t want flowers for their birthday or even knew what to do with them.

I flipped it over and saw that it said, Killed with kindness.

What kind of a business name is that? As the words left my mouth, a buzzing noise registered. Looking again at the flowers, I watched a bee fly out, followed by two, three...

I swatted at them, but they just kept coming. I had an EpiPen somewhere, but with the medications I’d been taking, my reaction time was slower than normal. One landed on me, and then another.

I clutched my throat as it started to close, realizing this was going to be the worst birthday ever. And my last.

Maybe someone had done me a kindness by putting me out of my misery.

***

Zodiac Master

I sat in my living room and watched as the news reported the heroic acts of a man who’d died while saving a woman on his birthday. By tomorrow, when the other bodies were discovered, the FBI Task Force would be running all over, chasing their tails.

A cackle escaped my lips as I pictured Leslie and Ryan’s faces as they tried to put together the method for the murders this month. I wasn’t going to let them win. I still had a few cards up my sleeve of things they hadn’t even considered yet.

It was time for the news crews to start reporting on all the past murders and stirring up the country. Nothing like a million phone calls to keep a task force from getting any work done.

I hit the autodial on my phone. It’s time to release it to the press. Make sure they air the first segment on the early morning news.

Yes, sir, she acknowledged quickly before disconnecting.

She wasn’t like