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Draw inspiration from the subject line of an email you recently received, part 3

You can read part 1 here and part two here.

The clock ticked loudly in the silence. Sarah began to pick at the skin of her knuckles absently.

Jennifer was staring at her and it was unsettling.

"Why?"

"Why what, Jennifer?"

"Why do you hope that we'll speak again? Why speak to me at all in the first place?"

"As I have mentioned before, I'm interested in your case--"

"But why?" Jennifer leaned forward, "I'm not the only serial killer in prison. There are more famous ones you could interview. BTK is still alive, hell even Ed Kemper is still around. Why me?"

Because fame isn't important, Sarah wanted to say, but she clenched her jaw instead.

"Ah, so you won't tell me? Maybe I will take you off my visitor list then," mused Jennifer.

"I think your case is more interesting than theirs," Sarah stated flatly. She was nervous to reveal her interest in the case. She wanted to walk a fine line of being truthful and being overly revealing.

"Yes, I gathered Clarice, but why?"

"There are very few studies of female serial killers." This is the truth, thought Sarah fleetingly.

"Yes, I am rare in that regard," smirked Jennifer. "But is that all?"

Sarah paused. "Do you want complete honesty?"

"Desperately," said Jennifer as though she were about to hear the juiciest piece of gossip.

"You are the only one who responded to my initial letter."

Jennifer threw her head back in laughter, "Is that really all?"

There was more to it, but if Jennifer hadn't realized it yet, Sarah didn't want to reveal it. Not yet at least.

"The only one," repeated Sarah. "I hope that doesn't stop you from wanting to speak with me."

"Not at all my dear Clarice, I appreciate the honesty. It's a rare thing."

"Then may I visit you again next week? Our visit is almost up."

"Of course."

***

The following week, the two women found themselves in the same positions as last week. Jennifer, chained, but with the true power in the situation and Sarah, free, but chained by the whims of a serial killer.

"Lets move on to Shondra Jones," began Sarah after the standard consent opening.

"What about Shondra?" Jennifer seemed almost bored.

"Why leave her alive?"

Jennifer quirked an eyebrow, "Going right for it, huh Clarice?"

"We can talk about something else if you prefer."

"No let's talk about Shondra. Not sure what to say to you though." Jennifer looked down at her hands, "I didn't know her too well."

"She saw you with the knife."

"She sure testified to that effect," Jennifer replied, examining her nails.

"Did you know that she'd seen you?"

"It's not a surprise."

"So you didn't know?"

"I didn't say that," snapped Jennifer. "Just because I killed people doesn't mean I killed everyone." Jennifer rose out of her chair a bit with her anger coursing through her.

"I did not mean to imply that," replied Sarah, hoping her skyrocketing heartbeat wasn't obvious to Jennifer.

"Good."

"Do you want to change the subject?" asked Sarah, calming herself down by scribbling notes.

"No."

"Then why did you leave her alive?"

Jennifer stared up at the ceiling. "Maybe I wanted to get caught. Maybe I was tired. Or maybe," Jennifer stared straight at Sarah, "I'm just not a monster."

(Prompt by Kimisha Cassidy)

Confession of a Serial Killer: The Untold Story of Dennis Rader, the BTK Killer by Katherine Ramsland (UPNE, 2017)

Full subject line: "Confession of a Serial Killer - Documentary on A&E in January 9781512601527"

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