Jones was gone by the time we got to the room. The desk clerk had been too scared to use his key. Victor busted in the door. I was right behind him, with Andy on my heels. The clerk stayed back. Smart guy. Wish I hadn’t been so quick to go inside. I tried, but I can’t get the picture out of my mind. Pretty little Nancy lay spread eagle on the bed, so small and alone. Blood shouted from the walls… the floor, soaked the bed so a person couldn't tell sheets from Nancy. Poor little thing, her flesh hanging from her bones like crimson ribbons.

I’m a tough guy, but I ain’t ashamed to say I puked when I saw her.

Seems disrespectful now, but Nancy didn’t mind. She was beyond caring.

Victor didn’t puke. He didn’t even cry. Wouldn’t have though less of him if he had. Instead, he stood stock-still, his face tight, his muscles tensed like he was made out of…well…bronze. Andy cried, though. We all had a fondness for Nancy.

“Where is he?” the boss asked me through clenched teeth. “Where’s the son of a bitch that did this to my sister?”

I had an idea where Jones was. We’d been friends for a while, so I knew he kept a place on the quiet, just outside of town. It was an old shack near the lake, a place a person could stay in between bouts of fishing. Nice and secluded. Just what the doctor ordered.

We parked the car down the road some. Didn’t want to announce our coming. Got to the porch, reached above the door for the key I knew he kept on the ledge. Unlocked it without making a sound. Wanted to catch him unawares and we did do that.

We scuffled and Jones fought like he was fighting for his life. I could’ve told him not to bother. He’d lost it when he made the first cut of the scalpel through Nancy’s smooth white skin.

We found Jones’ favorite little bag of tricks. He’d cleaned his instruments. Victor said that was good, he didn’t want Nancy’s blood mingling with Jones’. Didn’t find any cuffs, but that was okay. Andy and I could hold him down. No ball gag, either. Victor said that was fine. He wanted to hear Jones scream. And, being it was winter; there was nobody down there to hear.