Page 115 of Psychic Obsession
"No, he's not."Hjalmar straightened to his full height and glared at Ramirez.
Ramirez raised his palms."We'll keep it short, but if you could tell me what happened, it would be of great help."
"How is Nikolai?"
"Detective Nesterova will be fine.He's in the middle of getting stitches as we speak."
Frode took a deep breath and nodded, but exhaustion was starting to tug at him again.Maybe Ramirez saw it because his expression softened a fraction."Can you tell me about Saylor coming to your house?"
Frode did.He explained how he'd been tired after having read the rug and had fallen asleep on the couch.The knock had woken him, and when Saylor had wanted to come inside, he'd walked out on the landing and closed the door behind him to keep him out.He told them what Saylor had said about Altman getting off on scaring women, and how he'd held them down for Saylor, but how he hadn't liked the blood.
Frode would guess it was death Altman didn't like, though who liked blood?He might be a monster who liked creating fear, but maybe killing was a step too far for him.
"Do you know how they know each other, Altman and Saylor, I mean?"Ramirez was scribbling on a notepad.
"No."
Ramirez nodded."And then he stabbed you?"
"He said he had to kill them to get my attention, but that it was too late for us now, or something along those lines.Then he sliced my belly.I didn't feel anything at first, thought maybe it was a trick knife, you know?"He looked at Ramirez."Then I started bleeding."
Ramirez nodded."You're lucky.I talked to your doctor, and while infection is a risk, no vital organs were harmed."
"Lucky?"Frode huffed.
Ramirez looked directly into his eyes."If he'd wanted to kill you, you'd be dead now."
Frode stared at him, stunned."You think...He didn't mean to kill me?"
A shrug and a sigh."Jaxon Saylor isn't a sane man but given he cut the throats of his other victims, I'd say something in him recoiled at killing you.He could have."
Frode recalled falling to the ground, how he'd looked at Saylor's shoes.He could've sliced his throat then.Frode had been too out of it to try to protect himself.He nodded slowly."He stood over me for a few seconds.I don't know for how long.It's all a melted blur before things went dark."
Someone squeezed his shoulder, and he snapped his eyes open, not realizing they'd closed.Hjalmar looked ready to tear the world apart, so Frode patted his hand."I'm fine."Then he grimaced."Fine-ish."
It earned him a small smile.
"Thank you, Mr.Bakke.We'll go through everything in more detail when you're feeling better."
"There isn't much more I can tell you.I don't know what time he came.I woke to the knock and stumbled to the door."
Ramirez nodded."We have a pretty good idea of the time.Elmore and Nesterova saw him drive off."
"Oh."He glanced at Elmore, who looked grim.
"I better go get Green."Ramirez pocketed his pen and gave Frode a nod."Speedy recovery."
Elmore sighed as he left the room."I bet Nikolai is ready to kill Green by now."
"Is he bad?"Hjalmar watched the empty doorway as if he contemplated running after Ramirez to save Nikolai.
"The worst.Medlin believed they sent him to punish him for having sat on the case for so long."
Hjalmar snorted."Nice."
* * * *
Nikolai would murder someone soon.He was tired, he was in pain, and he wanted to go upstairs to check on Frode.Hjalmar would have to leave to get their parents soon, and Nikolai was stuck with Agent fucking Green.
