Valentina's Lost Days Page 8

  Lazarus closes his notepad. He has an idea.

  -18-

  Ishmael closes the door of room 2-18. He is euphoric, out of his wits. He still feels the moisture of Cynthia's blood in her hair, so he rubs his palms on his dark hair, allowing the smell to impregnate his skin. And he licks them.

  He goes to the shower and washes. The blood disappears, but not the memory of his actions. When he closes his eyes, he still sees the body of GOTI-K.

  In the last years, Ishmael has had a mind full of brilliant ideas, which included acts ranging from the poisoning of soup in the dining room of the student residence to provoke, knife in hand, slaughter in the university.

  But he lacked bravery. His ideas were only ideas, thoughts impossible to materialize. That is why he is now out of his mind. He has killed GOTI-K, he has overcome his fears, he has shown that he is capable...

  After play with her body, he sprayed it with bleach and detergent. He did not want to leave any remains of DNA, so before he got on his Seat Ibiza and disappeared from the place, he emptied a can of gasoline and set it on fire.

  - "The very whore smelled good." -The smell of his burned flesh was almost like that of grilled beef. Or at least that's it.

  And that idea makes him laugh.

  - "She smelled like a cow ... And I, who thought it was a donkey!" -He laughs so hard that his vision becomes blurry with tears.

  Without stopping laughing, Ishmael leaves the shower and dries. Put his bloody Gothic clothes into a plastic bag. Tomorrow he will get rid of it.

  - "Everything has gone perfect," -he boasts. - "No, he left no trace."

  Ishmael dresses. It's almost nightfall, so he puts his pajamas on. He knows he's going to sleep deeply.

  -19-

  Lazarus prepares for dinner a tuna sandwich with lettuce and a light cola. As usual, Bucephalus has taken a seat on the table, right in front of him. Lazarus has left a few pieces of tuna in the can so that his four-legged friend can also taste it.

  The sandwich tastes like glory. He savors each bite with the satisfaction that the investigation is on the right track. He knows he is approaching.

  - "Tonight, I'm going fishing, Bucephalus." -He tells. But the cat continues licking the can as if it were not with him.

  Lazarus gobbles down what is left of the sandwich and drinks the soda. Anxious, he goes to his office.

  He sits at his PC and opens his notebook. Without hesitation, open Google Chrome and type in the web addresses of the chats found in Valentina's browsing history.

  He opens three windows, one for each chat. In all follows the same steps: indicates that his age is fifteen-years-old, that he is a girl and uses the username "Spring_Love."

  Lazarus rubs his hands.

  If he is right, the reiteration of the words "my spring love" found in Valentina's letter is not a simple coincidence. Why use "my spring love" so insistently? Whoever wrote it, why did not he refers to Valentina as "my love," "dear love," "love of my life" or any other sickeningly sweet synonyms? Lazarus comes up with an infinite number of nouns, and that he has never written a love letter: heaven, honey, caramel, heart, sweetie ...

  At this moment, Lazarus did not notice, but by the way, it was used "my spring love" seemed almost a proper name.

  - "But if it was even addressed as "For my spring love"! -he remembers.

  Although it is only an assumption, Lazarus believes that Valentina could use the My Spring Love username in a chat room. That would explain the extensive presence of those words in a letter that does not exceed half a page.

  Lazarus checks the chat rooms. In "Chat Young" there are 570 users online. In "ChicasyChicos21", 1,328, and in "Hookup Online", more than 2,000.

  That adds many people. Lazarus looks for the username "Spring_Love in the online Users panel.

  - "I'm here." - Next to his username appears the Venus symbol, giving the user community to understand that "Spring_Love" is a woman.

  Lazarus stands up. The bait is already cast. Now we just must wait.

  DAY 3

  -1-

  Ishmael wakes up. It's four o'clock in the morning, and the student residence is in silence. The rest of the university students sleep deeply.

  Ishmael leans to one side, and then to the other. He cannot fall asleep, so he gets up and turns on his laptop. He thinks of everything he has done.

  It all started with Valentina. He found that obese in a chat room by chance, and soon caught her attention. She was a spoiled fifteen-year-old, who had everything in life and, nevertheless, thought herself an unhappy woman. But Ishmael gave her a good lesson. He taught her, that however miserable you may be, things can always get worse.

  Remember how easy it was to hack her computer. He just had to send a file with an executable disguised in the form of a song to her mail. The very idiot unzipped and self-infected without suspecting anything. That's how, for a couple of weeks, he gained control of the integrated webcam on her computer monitor. Thanks to the monitoring of her webcam, Ishmael caught her naked, changing clothes in front of the computer.

  And that's where everything started. He convinced her to chat through the InfieleX website, telling her that it was a cooler and more exclusive place. And the idiot believed him. He had to pay for the registration of her username, but he did it gladly. After all, the credit card was stolen from an old woman so old, senile and stupid as to write down her security number on a piece of paper inside the change purse.

  Overnight, his "Superrman", that stranger who even wrote that corny letter, became her nightmare. He sent her the recording and began to blackmail her.

  He told her that, as she went to the police, as she would say someone something, he would broadcast the video through social networks. He would send it to all his classmates, his teachers, his parents and even upload it to YouTube.

  Valentina remained silent, and Ishmael began with his blackmail. Every day he asked for something in exchange for her silence: he started with money, which she had to deposit in a specific place and time. But after several hundred euros accumulated, Ishmael realized that he was wasting his time. The money he did not need. In fact, the cocoon of his father is the owner and founder of SUZA, an industry that annually bills more than three million euros. What does he do, then, begging a few hundred when he could get several thousand with a quick call to his father? After, he thought, Ishmael concluded that there are things more important than the money.

  In fact, the money meant little or nothing for Valentina. She belonged to a well-to-do upper-class family and every time he asked for cash; she just had to sneak into her mother's purse and steal a few bills.

  Ishmael wanted to see her suffer, so he focused on her dignity. Very soon he understood that playing with the integrity of a person is much more fun. So, he asked Valentina to write on her forehead the word BEACH with a permanent pen and send him a photo as a testimony through the InfieleX. When he saw the image, Ishmael laughed as he never had. In fact, he keeps that photo. It is under the stack of university notes, in the last drawer of his desk. Ishmael likes to see her from time to time.

  When Valentina sent him that photo, Ishmael was more excited than if she had sent him a million euros. And that was just the beginning. After that, he asked for more pictures, and each one with new and ingenious evidence of psychological torture, but Valentina did not resist it. She ended up committing suicide.

  And her suicide was what made him understand what he had always wanted: her death.

  Knowing that Valentina ended up taking her own life, Ishmael felt a deep rejoicing. A satisfaction so full that can hardly explain with words. And he knew he had to repeat it.

  But GOTI-K has been something completely different. With Valentina, he understood the reason for his existence, yes, but Valentina ended up committing suicide herself. Ishmael knew that harassing an unhappy girl through a distant chat page is one thing, and quite another is to kill with his own hands and stain with blood.

  That's why he planned everythi
ng in detail with GOTI-K, and the truth is that he could not get better.

  Now Ishmael is anxious to repeat. He knows that the third one is the winner. And that's the reason why now, without hardly noticing, is in a chat very frequented by young people and daddy's little boys. He searches his next victim.

  Ishmael reads the Usernames and looks at the few girls there. Start reading their usernames:

  -Beach22, Cathy17, AttractiveSweety, Spring_Love, Belen ...

  Ishmael stops short.

  Reread that username again and again.

  - "Spring_Love."

  He shudders. His heart speeds. Even his fingers tremble.

  - "It has to be a coincidence," -he tries to convince himself. It is impossible, impossible ...

  He remembers that Spring_Love was the username that Valentina used when he met her.

  - "It is a pure coincidence ...

  But he must be sure. Leave the pointer over Spring_Love and click with the right button on the START PRIVATE CHAT option.

  -2-

  It's 9:00 o'clock, and Lazarus stops the alarm on his cell phone. Yawns and stretches on the bed. Since leaving prison, this is the first time he has enjoyed his soft mattress; the first time he manages to sleep long and deeply.

  Lazarus knows that the Valentina File has given him a reason to move forward. Even outside the police force, Lazarus does what he does best: stalking the criminals. And that gives him energy; it offers the incentive that before he found in his continuous investigations as Chief Inspector.

  Lazarus will always be grateful to Marta for knocking on the door of his house, for vanishing the shadows in which he wandered and, mainly, for helping him to go OUT THERE.

  Lazarus stands up. Due to the June hot weather, he lays down in his underpants. Bucephalus has slept with him, taking advantage of the warm breeze that filters through the window. The cat is recovering. Lazarus remembers how he found him at the door of his house: famished, malnourished, dirty ... Just a bag of bones. A street cat, a cat without an owner which would have died if it were not for him.

  Lazarus wipes away his tears.

  - "I would have died too, if it were not for you, Bucephalus." - Long before Marta knocked on the door of her house, the cat did it. The animal entered his life and, thanks to him, he could share his unhappiness and talk to someone.

  Lazarus does not want to think about that, but he knows he was about to commit suicide. He knows that the cat saved his life.

  - "I have to take you to the vet," -he says. Bucephalus has his head buried in the pillow and purrs placidly. I must vaccinate you and put a chip on you.

  Lazarus goes to the toilet service but stops halfway down the corridor. He had forgotten.

  - "Fishing!"

  He runs to his office. He left the computer on all night, connected to the chats with the username Spring_Love

  .

  Lazarus observes that some fish have been stung. Too many, really. But that was already expected: most chat users are men looking for friendship or whatever comes up (fundamentally the last). It is not surprising that many of them contacted Spring_Love, attracted by their username and by the pink symbol of Venus that identifies him as a woman.

  Lazarus consults the private messages received in

  ChatYoung:

  A certain Michael_JP has proposed to him to have sexual relations, assuring to Spring_Love that he is very well-endowed.

  One such Rammer12 greeted politely at 01.23. And, after getting no response from Spring_Love, he sent her to hell at 01.27.

  A user with, in his opinion, interesting and suggestive username 23cmBoy has proposed, well, first, start a webcam session with which both could masturbate.

  - "Damn! what a bunch of horny devils."

  Lazarus enters the HookupOnline chat and checks that the picture is similar: a lot of men desperately looking for flesh.

  Finally, and any hope vanished, consult the private messages of GirlsandBoys21. It has more than 20 private user messages.

  - "The night has been long." -Lazarus laughs.

  A certain Toñín27 (Lazarus supposes that the twenty-seven must correspond with his age) has written a subtle message: "Come on, takes off your panties and let's fuck."

  Lazarus keeps reading the messages until ...

  - "Superrman!" -Lazarus opens his mouth. He cannot believe it.

  He has a message from a specific Superrman. Lazarus notes that it is written with two R's, just as Valentina scribbled it together with her heart in the third quarter math notebook.

  Superrman has written a completely different message to the other Internet users. He has not disrespected Spring_Love, nor asked him to take off his panties. Superrman is different: he has an education. Lazarus reads the messages sent again and again:

  - (04.14 h.) Hello, beautiful.

  - (04.14 h.) Your precious username has caught my attention.

  - (04.15 h.) I would love to meet you personally, where are you from?

  Lazarus answers him. The fish has chopped the hook, and now he only must pull the fishing line ... But he must do it gently:

  - Hi, Superrman. I am from Madrid. And you?

  Lazarus does not want to be delusional, but in a chat that does not need any previous registration, what are the chances that someone wants to use the Superrman username? And what is the probability that someone will write Superman with two R's?

  Lazarus knows that on the other side of the screen hides a sociopath. In fact, he is convinced that if he has used that username, it is to reclaim his digital identity. A Superrman, just, happens the same thing as to the writers, singers or actors who make themselves known with a pseudonym. Once used, the coherent thing is to continue using it in the future.

  - "So Superrman has an ego. -Lazarus leaves his computer on and goes to the bathroom. - "He knows that Superrman, if he ever answers, may take hours ...

  Although, he will be most likely to connect back again at night.

  Lazarus goes to the bathroom, ready to empty his bladder, but stops in the middle of the aisle. Behind his back, a sound is heard.

  He just received a new message.

  -3-

  - (9.06 h.) I'm from Madrid too!

  Superrman is online, so, he can chat live with him. It is a golden opportunity. Lazarus pulls a bit more of the line:

  - How old are you?

  Lazarus holds back. He wants to meet Superrman in a cafeteria right now and see his face, but that could raise suspicion. GirlsandBoys21 is a chat for young people, and Spring_Love must behave as such. A girl would be reluctant to an appointment in person without knowing anything about someone who has just met online.

  - (9:07 am) I am nineteen years old. And you????

  Lazarus looks at Valentina's picture. It is where he left it the day before: on the second shelf of his bookcase, carefully leaning against the thick back of a Spanish-English dictionary. Looking closely at the girl's face, Valentina seems to be even sadder than yesterday.

  Lazarus has an idea. He knows that the fish has pierced the hook and is sure that the hook has penetrated his skin with enough depth to prevent it from fleeing. Why not play with him? Why not make him nervous?

  - I'm 16 years-old -he types-. What is your name?

  Lazarus smiles. If that Superrman is really the person who believes, he may have contacted Spring_Love out of curiosity. He would probably be surprised to see a user with that username ...

  - (9:07 am.) My name is Francisco, and you?

  Lazarus looks at Valentina. In the photo, the young girl looks at the camera as if the simple act of holding her gaze would require significant effort.

  - "Go for you, Valentina," he says.

  -5-

  - (9:08 am.) My name is Valentina.

  Ishmael gives a jump. Suddenly, the screen of his laptop becomes blurred.

  - "It cannot be, he thinks. It must be a coincidence."

  But there are too many coincidences in a row. What is the probability that someone uses th
e username Spring_Love? Moreover, what is the chances of that same person's name is Valentina?

  - "But she's dead," -he thinks, trying to calm down. - She's dead. Committed suicide. It must be another ...

  Ishmael gets up from the chair and wanders around room 2-18. Try to hold back himself, but ...

  He goes back to sit down. His fingers tremble, and he can barely write.

  - (9.12 h.) I want to meet you, Valentina.

  Ishmael observes the time that appears before his message. He bites his fingers. It has taken too long to answer. Four minutes is a long time. That can be suspicious. He bites himself with more force. His teeth tear his skin.

  - (9.12 h.) I do not know, Francisco ... I do not know you at all.

  "She" is reticent. And this is good. Ishmael takes the opportunity to insist:

  - (9.12 h.) Come on, Valentina ... I invite you a cup of coffee!

  - (9.13h.) Well, if you insist ...

  Ishmael must see the face of Valentina behind Spring_Love. Moreover, he needs to settle with her as soon as possible. There are too many coincidences ...

  - "She's dead; she's dead, she's dead," -he says repeatedly. It cannot be her ... Impossible ...

  But as much as he repeats it, he does not quite convince himself. Everything seems like a nightmare. What if Valentina did not end her life? What if the cuts in his veins were not deep enough to kill her?

  But he knows it is impossible. Valentina is dead. He read the headline in the newspaper: YOUNG 15 YEARS-OLD SUICIDE. Would the press lie?

  - She's dead, dead, DEAD.

  But if so, to whom am I speaking now?

  Suddenly, Ishmael has a suspicion: what if besides being obsessed, Valentina was a liar? What would happen if, instead of remaining silent, as he demanded, she told someone something? Ishmael does not want to imagine it. It's been a year since she committed suicide, but ... what if she had a friend? What if she left a loose end?

  He doubts it. He knows that Valentina was an antisocial, shy and lonely girl, but still ... what if she told someone that she liked to chat? What if she told someone what was her favorite username, loved it, and now was using it? What if that someone knows something else?