55

Lars Anderson's POV

Lofbergs Arena, Karlstad, Sweden

Sunday, October 10, 2021

I walked back to the Färjestad Bollklubb Karlstad (FBK) locker room, joking with my teammates after another win. I'd returned home and quickly signed with my hometown team in the top-tier Swedish Hockey League after I left the Minnesota Wild. At first, the press had been all over me, and the fans of other teams had been brutal. The jeering was constant, and some opposing team fan girls showed up in bondage gear like ball gags and collars when we'd play.

Thankfully, that provocation stopped after the second murder. People started looking at me as more of a victim who'd lost his fiancé to a madman instead of a deviant sexual creature. I was, of course. It didn't take long to look up a few needy sluts from the old days and renew acquaintances.

I put my gear in my locker and showered, changing into a suit for the post-game interviews. I'd scored twice, so there was no getting out of it. I walked into the room where Coach Sven was already talking. The room got quiet as I sat down. "That was a fun game," I started.

The local television reporter stood, camera rolling beside her. "Lars, what is your reaction to the news of your wife's killer committing suicide?"

"Wait, WHAT?"

She looked down at her notes. "Saint Paul Police confirmed that Michael Klinesmith, the former Ramsey County Attorney, jumped from the balcony of his tenth-floor condominium yesterday. Inside his home, investigators found a partial suicide note confessing to a murder in Minneapolis last month, plus three pieces of jewelry belonging to the Book Killer murders. DNA evidence confirmed blood belonging to Tracy Hardin was on the necklace found at the scene."

It was unreal. Michael was a member of the Society and Tracy's previous Master. When Tracy asked for my collar, Michael released her without a fight. We'd remained friends since, and hearing he was a serial killer blew my mind. "Wow. When did that come out?"

"About an hour ago," she replied.

"It's the first I've heard of it. Tracy was a wonderful woman, and it ripped my heart out to have her taken from me by such a vicious killer. Thank God he won't kill again," I said. The emotion got to me, and I didn't want to break down in front of them. "Excuse me," I said. I practically ran back to the locker room.

My teammates gave me space to grieve again, giving me pats on the back or words of encouragement as they filed out. When the place was nearly empty, Coach Sven sat down near me. "I'm sorry you found out like that, Lars."

"I loved her," I replied. "I couldn't protect her, and now I can't even watch her killer get justice."

He put his hand on my shoulder. "That fucker had no problem killing helpless women, but he couldn't take the thought of going to jail," he told me. "I've looked at those news reports, and they make me sick. You know what I think?" He looked straight into my eyes. "FUCK that guy. I hope he burns in hell."

"Yeah." He looked away, and I thought about what I needed to do. I'd fled Minnesota to avoid the press, but I should be able to get back now. "Coach, I need to go back to the States and wrap things up. I still have to move out of my apartment, and I need to say goodbye to my fiancé since I skipped her funeral."

"How much time do you need?"

"A week or so."

"Do what you have to do, Lars. Say goodbye to her, and come back when you are ready."

"Thanks, Sven." I grabbed my stuff and headed out to my car.

Naturally, a reporter was waiting near the arena exit. "Mr. Johnson, what would you say to the man who killed your fiancé if he were still alive?"

I thought about it for a second. "I wouldn't say a thing. Nothing I could say would take away the pain, and I don't care why he did it. That's between him and God. Now, excuse me." I walked past her to my car and drove home.

I didn't get home until late, so I took a flight leaving Monday afternoon. I had a short flight to Oslo, then to Amsterdam, before finally boarding the plane for the long flight to Minneapolis. With the time change, it was only nine at night when I landed at the airport. I was glad I caught a nap on the flight because I was dragging! With customs and car rental, it was almost midnight when I arrived at my St. Paul apartment.

I slept for twelve hours straight.

When I woke up, I headed to Police Headquarters to speak to Detective Maloney, the lead detective on my fiance's murder case. He met me at the front desk and escorted me to his desk upstairs. After exchanging pleasantries, I got down to business. "You are convinced Michael Klinesmith killed my Tracy?"

"It's conclusive, and we closed the file this morning," he said. "Michael was always a suspect in this case, but we didn't have enough direct evidence to tie him to the murder."

"You had the whiskey glass," I said.

"True, but with how he staged the murder to match the book, that wasn't definitive. I have to hand it to him for following David Hardin's books. We were focused on David Hardin because we thought Michael got set up, and all the evidence led to David. Even if we arrested Michael, the evidence he planted created tons of reasonable doubt if it went to trial. We got lucky."

"Why do you say that, Detective?"

"He killed a girl before he killed Tracy, but he left enough evidence to tie him to the murder. Minneapolis Homicide was closing in on him. We figure he got wind of the investigation and killed himself."

"That's convenient," I said.

"His wife has the money in their marriage. Laura froze his accounts and filed for divorce, so he didn't have the resources to run. Jail would mean a quick death or permanent solitary, so he jumped. People react in different ways to the threat of prison. It happens."

"I guess." Something didn't add up. "The news reports said you found jewelry belonging to Tracy on his confession to Allison's death." Maloney nodded. "Was it this?" I pulled out my phone and showed him a picture of a sterling silver necklace with a round ring. It was the 'everyday' BDSM slave collar she could wear that the normies wouldn't recognize, but those in the lifestyle would. When we were in a scene or at a Society event, I replaced it with a thick leather one.

"Yes. Blood on it belonged to the victim."

"I bought it for her when we started dating. She never took it off."

"I'm sorry about that. Miss Hardin's personal effects will go to her parents now that the case is closed, but I'm sure you can get it from them if you want."

"Thank you." I changed tactics again. "What else ties Klinesmith to the three murders?"

"The trophies he took," Maloney said.

"No phone records? Vehicle sightings? Eyewitnesses?"

"He was careful after his first one, and now he's dead. I'm sorry for your loss, Lars, but her killer is beyond our reach now. The case is closed."

"Thank you, Detective." I stood up and shook his hand before he led me outside.

I stopped at a florist before going to the cemetery. I knelt before the headstone and pushed the stake holding the small vase into the loose soil. "I'm sorry, my love. I should have been there to protect you." I talked to her about my plans, told her how much I missed her, then went back to the car.

I drove to Edina next, stopping at a law office in an office park. The receptionist greeted me with a bright smile. "May I help you, sir?"

"Yes, I need a minute of Miss Newberry's time." Colleen was the Society's lawyer and a submissive wearing Mistress Tatiana's collar.

"Do you have an appointment?"

"No."

She looked at the computer. "If you can have a seat, I'll see if I can sneak you in between appointments."

I had to wait twenty minutes before Colleen stepped out of her office. She froze when she saw me but quickly recovered and waved me in. "What are you doing here," she whispered as she closed the door.

"I'm after my fiance's killer," I told her. "We both know Michael was too much of a pussy to kill these people. I want to know why the Society is protecting the REAL killer."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I do. Call a meeting of the board. I have some demands for them."

She shook her head. "That's impossible. You resigned your membership in the Society, so you lack standing now. I'm sorry, Master Lars, but the Board won't listen to your demands."

"That would be a mistake, Colleen. You have my number. Call me when you have a place and time. I leave for Europe on Monday, and you won't like what happens if I fly home without seeing them." I walked out without another word. After visiting Tracy's parents, I spent the rest of the week cleaning my apartment and packing boxes of stuff back to ship back to Sweden. My lease wasn't up for another seven months, but if the landlord found another tenant, I'd get some of it returned.

As I worked, I wondered how things would have been different if I'd won the auction for Allison Decker. Tracy was a hot little slave slut, but she couldn't take the pain I needed to dish out at times. Allison would orgasm from a good flogging and could ride the line between painful play and permanent damage.

I should have brought more cash.

Thomas Brickline was an accident waiting to happen. The Board had warned him about breath play at their functions, but he didn't listen to anyone. The death of a party favor was bound to happen, and it was their fault for allowing it.

I'd made my feelings known that night, and Thomas hadn't been happy about it. I never imagined he'd go after my Tracy. I knew he was a sadist, but I didn't think he was a killer.

I was wrong.

I finally got the call from Colleen on Thursday night. The board would meet on Saturday at 10 PM at Mistress Tatiana's Edina house. "I'll be there," I promised.

Chapter 52

Talia Devine's POV

St. Paul Police Federation Headquarters

Monday, October 11, 2021

"The lawyers are waiting for you in Conference Room Two, Detective Devine."

Internal Affairs had worked fast after I'd handed my gun and badge over to Captain Cullen. On Monday morning at eight, I opened my door to one of their detectives. He had me sign for receipt of a letter listing the formal charges and directing me to report for an interview at two PM in their offices.

I was dialing my Union rep before he got to the stairs. I read him the letter over the phone, and he told me to meet with their lawyers in an hour.

I entered the room, where the suits told me who was the former cop. "You must be Detective Talia Devine. Craig Fetters," he said as he shook my hand. "I'm your union representative," the guy in the cheap suit said.

"Nicholas Langetti," the well-dressed lawyer said as he shook my hand. He was in his fifties, fit and handsome, with grey hair and reading glasses. "Please sit."

I took a seat at the end of the table. "Thank you for seeing me so quickly."

"The Department is working fast on this one," Nicholas said. "That means it is either a slam-dunk or a potential public relations problem they want to bury. Looking at the charges, it's probably both."

"That bad?"

"You have civil service protections as part of the union contract with the city. The criteria for disciplinary charges are part of this civil service code. The three charges levied against you are:

5) Conduct unbecoming a City employee. Detective Devine engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a suspect she was actively investigating in a murder case.

6) Violation of any lawful and reasonable official regulation or order or failure to obey any lawful and reasonable direction made and given by the employee's supervisor, where such violation or failure amounts to an act of insubordination or a serious breach of proper discipline resulted, or might be reasonably expected to result in, loss or injury to the City or to the public or prisoners or wards of the City. Detective Devine was specifically instructed by her Captain that she was only to be in the presence of David Hardin with Detective Maloney or another Detective present. Contrary to this, on October 6

th

, Detective Devine invited Mr. Harden into her apartment for approximately 18 minutes, during which time they were alone.

13) Acceptance of any fee, gift or other valuable in the course of the employee's work or in connection with it, for the employee's personal use from any person, when such fee, gift or other valuable thing is given in the hope or expectation of receiving a favor or better treatment than that accorded other persons. Detective Devine accepted meals, alcoholic beverages, and a luxury hotel room from David Hardin during her official investigatory duties.

Do you understand the charges?"

"I do. There's more to the story, though."

"There always is, Detective. Craig and I have different functions, and both are important. Craig's job is to ensure the Department respects your rights under the Union contract. His services are process-oriented, so I won't ask him to stay for the next part." Craig excused himself, closing the door behind him. Nicholas placed a legal pad on the table and got a pen ready. "I need to hear everything that happened to provide my best legal advice. As your lawyer, any conversations with me are privileged. So, how did we get into this mess, Talia?"

"This might take a while."

"Good. Pick a starting point and tell me what happened."

And I did. Over the next ninety minutes, I laid out everything from the Tracy Hardin murder until this morning. I told him about my assignment to drive David north, my growing attraction, and my first time sleeping with him.

"You didn't care that he was a suspect?"

"I'd already eliminated him as a suspect in my head," I confessed. "The first night we spent together was the night of the Valerie Nolan murder. I was with him the entire time at his Two Harbors home. There was no physical way for him to be the killer."

"And you didn't report this to your bosses?"

"David wouldn't let me," I said. "He knew I'd get in trouble, even lose my job, if it came out HOW I knew he was innocent. He refused to let me say anything unless it went to trial, and even then, it would be a last resort."

"I see."

I talked through my second visit, this time looking for the buyer of the burner phone tracked from the murder scene to his driveway. "You didn't find it weird to have a suspect paying kids to help find evidence that could implicate him?"

"No, because I thought it would be exculpatory. David invited me to dinner, and I accepted."

"And you didn't think it a bad idea to go on a date with him or stay in his hotel room?"

"In hindsight, it was a mistake." I told him how David slipped me a key card before we made love in the room. Nicholas kept jotting down notes as I talked through David's meeting with investigators in Saint Paul. Finally, I told him about David showing up at my door and our quickie in the hallway. I ended with David storming out of my apartment and leaving the AirTags behind. "I turned them in the next morning. I told my bosses David stopped unannounced, but Captain Cullen thought there was more. His tracking data showed David stayed at my place overnight."

"And you didn't inform your partner or the Captain when it happened."

"It was late at night, and I wasn't thinking about that. I was worried that David was breaking up with me because he thought I betrayed him." It felt good to get everything off of my chest.

Nicholas went back over his notes for a few minutes. Finally, he tossed his glasses on the legal pad and stood up. "They will get these charges to stick, Detective. We need to limit the punishment because avoiding it is out of the question."

"How bad is it going to get?"

"We'll find out this afternoon. My concern after hearing your story is not just keeping your job; it's keeping you out of jail. If Internal Affairs play hardball, you might face criminal charges. That changes our strategy this afternoon, and not in a good way. If I tap your arm, you invoke your Fifth Amendment rights."

Shit. I couldn't even eat lunch because I was nervous about the interview. At two PM, I walked into the interview room. Two Internal Affairs detectives were there, and I started my voice recorder before they started theirs. My lawyer and union rep also recorded the interview.

The first five minutes is boilerplate; introductions, a summary of the interview process, and my rights. One of these was the Statement of Coercion. This statement informed me that I would be subject to disciplinary action if I did not answer their questions.

My lawyer spoke first. "Is my client the subject of a criminal investigation, or is this an administrative hearing only?"

"At this point, we are trying to discern the facts behind the complaint," the senior detective said.

"That doesn't answer my questions. I'll make it simple, boys. Either we get a Garrity Statement in the record, or she will invoke her Fifth Amendment rights." The two looked at each other. "I need your answer."

"I am not authorized to give her a Garrity statement," the second Detective said.

Nicholas had reviewed the applicable law, which gave me two protections. The department cannot make me give a statement that can be used in a later criminal proceeding. "That's enough for me," I replied. "I invoke my Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination and refuse to answer your questions."

"You can face disciplinary action for not cooperating with our investigation," he replied.

"And under Garrity, you cannot terminate her for invoking her Constitutional rights," Nicholas replied. "It's been a pleasure, gentlemen. We can see ourselves out."

I was a wreck as I drove home. I couldn't do anything but wait and work out. I ran and lifted weights every morning, spent every afternoon in the dojo, and every night with my toys and my dreams of David.

On Friday, Nicholas called me as I drove home from the dojo. "I need to speak with you as soon as possible," he told me.

"I'm coming from the gym, not the office," I said.

"That doesn't matter."

Ten minutes later, I sat in a chair next to his desk. "I got a visit from the IAD Captain today, and he gave me this." He hit play, and my heart stopped. The computer showed the resort hotel dining room. The security video showed me climaxing from the vibrator and his fingers as we waited for our food. It then cut to a hallway, showing David escorting me to my hotel room. The video skipped eighteen minutes to show him leaving with his shirt untucked.

"Fuck," I said as it stopped.

"Yeah. There is enough evidence to terminate you for cause, Talia. Luckily, no one wants this to come out in public. The Captain asked me to relay an offer."

"What offer?"

"Any investigation ends if you resign from the Department on Monday. Internal Affairs buries the story about how a murder suspect co-opted a Homicide Detective, and no one is the wiser. The last thing the Department wants to reveal is that we fucked up the biggest murder case in years."

"And if I don't?"

"Then it all comes out in the disciplinary hearing, and you get terminated for cause. Disciplinary outcomes go to the POST board, and they could remove your Peace Officer's license. The Captain hinted that the files might make their way to the County Attorney to consider charges."

Jesus. Nine years on the force down the drain? How fucking STUPID could I be? "I'll think about it."

"Think hard, Talia. I don't think I can save you from this one."

I walked out of there like a zombie. I sat in my car and cried, chastising myself for my lack of self-control. All I had to do was wait until the case was over, and I could have dated David openly.

I didn't have the appetite for dinner when Mom invited me over. Hell, I didn't want to tell my parents that I'd tossed my career away for a guy I'd only seen a handful of times.