Chapter 29

David Wilson was the roommate of Christopher McDaniels.

Eva was shocked. For a moment she thought that perhaps there was another David Wilson who graduated from the same college as her David Wilson with the same degree and in the same year.

“Impossible,” Eva whispered to herself. Eva felt like she was in some sort of bad Lifetime Movie. She started to think about this. Why would David not mention that he was in the fire with Christopher McDaniels? Why would he keep this a secret from her when he knew she was working on the Demon King’s story and Tom McDaniels was the lead suspect? Did he keep warning her to stop working on the case because he didn’t want her to find out some secret about himself? What could he possibly be hiding?

If she thought about it rationally, she could tell herself that perhaps he thought she would get carried away if he told her the truth. All he did was lie about something that happened in his life. It wasn’t even a lie…it was an omission. It’s not like he lied about who he was to her. Or did he?

“Could it be?” Eva began to process everything again in her head when her doorbell rang.

She went to answer it and there was David, smiling, “Hey sweetheart, what’s up?” He leaned in to kiss her but she dodged his advances and walked away from the door.

David seemed confused, “Did something happen, Eva?” He assumed she didn’t want to kiss him because of her hurt cheek. He purposely made a point not to bring it up so that he wouldn’t upset her.

“Maybe. Why were you upset earlier?” Eva asked. She was trying to carefully have this conversation with him.

“Look, I’m sorry Eva. Things have been really weird for me lately. I told you about Gonzales. I just lost him and I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you because of this Demon King case. I was worried.” David explained.

“Cut the crap, David. I want to know the truth,” Eva said. She hated having to press the issue since she too had been shocked about hearing that Jerry Gonzales was dead. She knew David and Jerry didn’t get along but they were still partners.

David was taken aback, “What crap? Eva I am worried about you. You put yourself in dangerous situations and it’s like you’re oblivious to everything around you except the next story you’re going to write.”

Eva laughed, “That’s not true David. I’m not oblivious. If I was, I wouldn’t have found out the truth about you and Christopher McDaniels.”

David let that soak in. He was quiet for a moment before saying, “Did…did you look into my past, Eva?” He would be lying if he said he didn’t feel a little betrayed.

Eva ran her hands through her hair, “And if I did? David, I think it’s time we had a courageous conversation.”

David laughed, “A courageous what?”

“I don’t know why you’re trying to hide your past from me David, but I can’t be involved with someone who lies to me.”

“Lies?” David started laughing, “Oh that’s rich. This coming from the woman who goes off traipsing into a stranger’s home, gets tied up, and gets attacked by criminals. You have a black eye right now and I didn’t even know about it except you told me by mistake!”

“Stop trying to throw this back on me. I told you what happened at Vincent McDaniels’ home as soon as I could. Besides, we discussed this already and your job is even more dangerous!”

“I’m a trained detective, Eva. I can protect myself. What about you? You’re just a woman with a pen and a lack of common sense. What if that McDaniels guy had really hurt you in the woods that day?”

Eva had her hands on her temples, “David, tell me why you didn’t tell me that you were Christopher McDaniels’ roommate. I want the truth.”

David sighed and sat down on her sofa. “I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to pursue it. I figured if you had an exclusive, you would run with it and never let this Demon King thing go. Also, I don’t like to talk about it. It’s a part of my life, I wish I could just forget.”

“Tell me the truth David. Otherwise it’ll be a deal breaker for me.”

David cursed under his breath, “You know I was an orphan, right?”

When Eva nodded, he continued. “My sister and I were all that was left, but then I lost her too. I was all alone. In Texas, wards of the state can go to college for free at a state university so off I went. I was so excited because I was going to stay in an apartment. I met Christopher that morning. We were both moving in but neither of us had a lot of stuff to our names. I guess that’s what happens when you don’t have a family. He said he lived with his uncle. We talked about everything and we had so much in common. We both lost the people that we cared about most.”

“So why did you keep this a secret?” Eva asked.

“I don’t smoke. Neither did Christopher but it seemed that his uncle Roger had given him a pack of cigarettes as a going away gift. Christopher didn’t want any but I was willing to try one. It was late at night and we were both sleepy.”

Eva gasped because she thought she knew where this was going, “Oh no…David.”

David had his face hidden in his hands but Eva could hear his throat tighten up as he talked about what had happened, “I don’t know what happened. The next thing I know, I’m waking up in a hospital bed with burns on my face and body. I had to have some procedures done but I’m fine. I’m fine Eva. It wasn’t until I was released from the hospital that I even thought of Christopher. God, I’m such a selfish bastard.” David had tears falling down his face, “It’s my fault Eva. He’s dead because of me. I became a cop because I felt so guilty about what I had done. This job is my penance.”

Eva wrapped her arm around David and tried to console him, “It’s okay. It was an accident.”

David wiped his tears and cleared his throat, “Like I said Eva, I don’t like to talk about it.”

Eva got up to get David a glass of tea when she remembered something. “David?”

He was wiping his face with a handkerchief, “Yeah?”

“When I was looking to find out who Christopher McDaniels’ roommate was, it was really difficult for me. It was as if the newspapers wanted to keep your name out of the story. Do you know why that is?” Eva asked.

David shrugged, “I think Christopher’s dad had something to do with that.”

“Why would he do that for you?”

David looked uncomfortable, “I don’t know Eva. You would have to ask him.” Then he said, “I take that back. I don’t want you anywhere near him.”

“How badly were you burnt after you were taken out of the fire?” Eva asked.

“It was pretty bad but not so much that I couldn’t be fixed. What? You don’t think my face is handsome now?” David smiled.

Eva looked him straight in the eyes and asked in a disbelieving whisper, “Are you Christopher McDaniels?”

“What did you just ask?” David was taken off guard by her question.

“Christopher McDaniels. Oh my God…it all makes sense. Why would Vincent McDaniels help you keep your name out of the paper? You’re nothing to him. If you were his son, then I can see why he would want to help you.” Eva was speaking aloud as each thought came to her.

David stood up, “Eva, what the hell are you talking about? Christopher McDaniels is dead!”

“But why would you want the identity of David Wilson? Unless you wanted people to think you were dead.”

“Eva, do you hear yourself right now?” David was coming closer to her. “You’re not making any sense.”

“It makes total sense,” Eva said. “Tom said he’s being framed. Women that are related to him in any way are showing up dead. Why?”

David sighed, “I’m not playing Nancy Drew with you Eva. You want to make wild accusations, then do it on your own time. I’m getting pretty sick of all this anyway.”

David was about to leave when Eva’s next word stopped him. “Revenge,” she whispered to herself.

David turned around as Eva continued, “Tom killed your sister and you want revenge. What better way to do it than to use a different identity that wouldn’t draw suspicion. But if that’s the case…that would make you…” Eva’s eyes widened at her own realization.

David sneered, “That would make me what? The Demon King?”

Eva started to take a few step backwards. She needed to get away from David.

“Do you honestly believe that, Eva? What’s wrong with you? You’re so obsessed with the Demon King that now you’re making up stories to write.”

Eva was scared. If she was right and David was the Demon King…then there was a strong possibility she would end up dead for telling him to his face that she figured it all out.

“Jesus Christ, Eva! I swear to God that I’m not going to hurt you. I love you. What do I have to do to prove that I’m not Christopher McDaniels? I’ll do it.”

Eva paused. If he really were Christopher, why would he agree to do anything? She was feeling conflicted because she really did trust in David and she liked him. She wanted to be wrong about her latest Demon King theory.

Eva’s phone made a loud dinging noise. She picked up her phone and saw it was a text message from an anonymous sender.

“Want to play a game?”

Eva thought it was sent to her by mistake. She didn’t reply. Her phone dinged again.

“Aren’t you curious who this is?”

Eva didn’t have time for this and kept her eyes on David. The phone was silent for a moment. She was debating on whether or not she should call the cops, when the message alert came on again. Eva checked her message.

It was a picture of Joelynn putting on lip gloss.

Eva’s felt a swell of panic rise within her. Forgetting about David, she texted back, “Who is this?”

“They say curiosity killed the cat but you still want to play with me, don’t you?”

Eva was about to text back when another picture was sent to her. Eva felt her knees collapse beneath her. Concerned, David came over, “What’s wrong?”

He cursed when he saw the picture Eva had just seen.

A woman was in a darkened room. Her eyes were covered, and her hands and legs were bound to the metal railings of an old bed. Despite the white piece of cloth covering her eyes, David could tell it was Joelynn.

Eva’s phone dinged again. A new message came in.

“Here kitty…kitty… kitty”