Hollywood Notorious: A Hollywood Alphabet Thriller Series (A Hollywood Alphabet Series Thriller Book 14) by M.Z. Kelly Page B
Authors: M.Z. Kelly
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beliefs.
I recalled reading about a killer named Edward Gein, who exhumed corpses from a local graveyard and fashioned trophies from their body parts. Then there was David Berkowitz, who went on a killing spree in the 1970s, claiming he was acting at the behest of a demon. There were also a host of psychotic killers that I’d personally dealt with over the years, many with bizarre beliefs. I decided to keep an open mind about what Castillo was suggesting.
“What can you tell us about the removal of the victim’s heart?” Leo asked.
“In the Aztec culture the ritual sacrifice was done by a priest, who would use a ceremonial knife. As in your case, a cut was made through the abdomen. The priest would then grab the heart and tear it out, while it was still beating. Some reports suggest that, in some locations, thousands of sacrifices were made over the span of a few days.” Her gaze moved between the both of us. “Your crime has similarities to the modern Day of the Dead ritual, based on the way the victim was dressed. But I believe the removal of her heart is a further indication that your crime has its roots in early Aztec mythology.”
“What about the writing?” Leo asked. “What do you think he was trying to tell us?”
“I believe the message is about power and control,” Castillo said. “The biblical reference left inside your victim references light and darkness, peace and evil. You are dealing with a megalomaniac who believes he has the power of God, controlling who lives and dies.”
Leo glanced at his notes. “What else can you tell us about this Aztec myth?”
“As I mentioned, the Queen of Mictlan was said to preside over the underworld. That is a place that is hidden from the everyday world. This kingdom was said to be ruled by Hades, a ruler whose only purpose is to deliver souls to the underworld.”
The room was silent as Leo scribbled notes again. When Castillo didn’t continue, I asked, “Do you think whoever did this sees himself as someone who is part of this underworld?”
“Perhaps. We’ll know more after the next victim.”
My brows came together. “Are you saying this killer will strike again?”
“Let me be frank. My specialty is a field not unlike yours. While you deal with homicide in the present tense, I deal with the murders of the past, sometimes in its starkest and most brutal form. This killing revisits those ancient beliefs in human sacrifice as an offering to the gods. Whoever is behind this isn’t finished. It’s my belief that you are dealing with a monster of mythic proportions.”
SEVENTEEN
Leo and I were in the courtyard outside the professor’s office, where we stopped and took a moment to process what we’d learned.
While Bernie sniffed along the sidewalk, I said, “I think we need to have Selfie and Molly scour the databases again to see if anything comes close to our crime.”
Leo raised his brows. “Maybe we’ve got someone out there who thinks of himself as an Aztec priest.”
“Someone making a sacrifice to the gods?”
“It could be. All I know is that Dr. Castillo is an expert in her field. I think what she said has a lot of credence.”
“Any way you slice it, our suspect has to be about as deranged as they come. Maybe he’s acting out some past trauma.” What I’d said about the past and trauma triggered something for me. I decided that I needed to talk to Dr. Castillo again, but I didn’t want Leo present when I did it. “I’d like to go back upstairs and ask Dr. Castillo about something that just occurred to me. Would you mind walking Bernie for a minute?”
Leo took his leash. “Sure. I could use a break.”
I handed over Bernie’s lead. “It was pretty heavy stuff.”
I made my way back upstairs and knocked on the frame of Dr. Castillo’s open door. When she looked up, I said, “Sorry to bother you again. If you’ve got a moment, I’d like to ask you about something that just came to mind.”
“Of
I recalled reading about a killer named Edward Gein, who exhumed corpses from a local graveyard and fashioned trophies from their body parts. Then there was David Berkowitz, who went on a killing spree in the 1970s, claiming he was acting at the behest of a demon. There were also a host of psychotic killers that I’d personally dealt with over the years, many with bizarre beliefs. I decided to keep an open mind about what Castillo was suggesting.
“What can you tell us about the removal of the victim’s heart?” Leo asked.
“In the Aztec culture the ritual sacrifice was done by a priest, who would use a ceremonial knife. As in your case, a cut was made through the abdomen. The priest would then grab the heart and tear it out, while it was still beating. Some reports suggest that, in some locations, thousands of sacrifices were made over the span of a few days.” Her gaze moved between the both of us. “Your crime has similarities to the modern Day of the Dead ritual, based on the way the victim was dressed. But I believe the removal of her heart is a further indication that your crime has its roots in early Aztec mythology.”
“What about the writing?” Leo asked. “What do you think he was trying to tell us?”
“I believe the message is about power and control,” Castillo said. “The biblical reference left inside your victim references light and darkness, peace and evil. You are dealing with a megalomaniac who believes he has the power of God, controlling who lives and dies.”
Leo glanced at his notes. “What else can you tell us about this Aztec myth?”
“As I mentioned, the Queen of Mictlan was said to preside over the underworld. That is a place that is hidden from the everyday world. This kingdom was said to be ruled by Hades, a ruler whose only purpose is to deliver souls to the underworld.”
The room was silent as Leo scribbled notes again. When Castillo didn’t continue, I asked, “Do you think whoever did this sees himself as someone who is part of this underworld?”
“Perhaps. We’ll know more after the next victim.”
My brows came together. “Are you saying this killer will strike again?”
“Let me be frank. My specialty is a field not unlike yours. While you deal with homicide in the present tense, I deal with the murders of the past, sometimes in its starkest and most brutal form. This killing revisits those ancient beliefs in human sacrifice as an offering to the gods. Whoever is behind this isn’t finished. It’s my belief that you are dealing with a monster of mythic proportions.”
SEVENTEEN
Leo and I were in the courtyard outside the professor’s office, where we stopped and took a moment to process what we’d learned.
While Bernie sniffed along the sidewalk, I said, “I think we need to have Selfie and Molly scour the databases again to see if anything comes close to our crime.”
Leo raised his brows. “Maybe we’ve got someone out there who thinks of himself as an Aztec priest.”
“Someone making a sacrifice to the gods?”
“It could be. All I know is that Dr. Castillo is an expert in her field. I think what she said has a lot of credence.”
“Any way you slice it, our suspect has to be about as deranged as they come. Maybe he’s acting out some past trauma.” What I’d said about the past and trauma triggered something for me. I decided that I needed to talk to Dr. Castillo again, but I didn’t want Leo present when I did it. “I’d like to go back upstairs and ask Dr. Castillo about something that just occurred to me. Would you mind walking Bernie for a minute?”
Leo took his leash. “Sure. I could use a break.”
I handed over Bernie’s lead. “It was pretty heavy stuff.”
I made my way back upstairs and knocked on the frame of Dr. Castillo’s open door. When she looked up, I said, “Sorry to bother you again. If you’ve got a moment, I’d like to ask you about something that just came to mind.”
“Of
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