Weeks passed, and Shawn had yet to find the killer.  Now, not only did he have to deal with Juan’s killer, but three more bodies had appeared.  There appeared to be a similar MO, but Shawn didn’t know any of the other victims.

Woody had confirmed that all four victims were former drug addicts.  They all had been forced-fed cocaine and died from the overdose. 

It wasn’t until the last victim that Shawn finally found a connection.  A simple business card was the clue.

It had been in the last victim’s pocket.  A woman in her early thirties had been found in an alley behind a halfway house near Second Street; sprawled out like she’d been dragged there in the night.  A kid from the halfway house made the gruesome discovery. 

At first, it looked like the woman had been stabbed multiple times; thus causing her death.  It wasn’t until the autopsy that they found the cocaine in her system. 

Shawn had been looking at everything she owned (privately thanks to Woody) when he found the business card.  His eyes widened when he read the name: Mark DeSanas, Actor/Actress Representative.

“Marcos?” Shawn asked aloud. 

“What’s that, Shawn?” Woody asked.

“Um, nothing, Woodster.  I’m just thinking out loud, is all,” Shawn said.

“Ahh, trying to plan out when the next alien invasion will be?” Asked Woody.

Shawn blinked for a moment, “Yeah.  Yeah, the next invasion.  I’ll see ya later, Woody,” he said, walking out with the card in his hand.

“Shawn?  What’s that?”  Woody questioned of the card.

“Oh, this is an agent I’m looking into.  You know, I could be on one of those psychic shows if I play my cards right,” Shawn lied.

Woody nodded, “Okay.  Break a leg!”

Shawn took off, avoiding any more questions the coroner had.  Now that he had a name, and a very familiar one, he knew what he had to do.

‘I have to start training again.  I can’t let El Burro take over Santa Barbara like he did in San Felipe.  The Red Shadow has to make a comeback, and fast,’ Shawn thought as he crossed through the SBPD toward the doors.

“Shawn!” Juliet called.

“Yeah, Jules?” Shawn asked, stopping near the entrance.

“Did you get anything yet from the woman’s belongings?” she questioned.

Shawn had already put the card in his pocket before entering the main station, so he knew she didn’t see it.

“Nothing that Woody didn’t already decipher.  I’m going to head back to the Psych office.  Gus is there, doing research for the case.  I’ll see you later,” he said, beginning to lean in for a kiss.

“Uh, Shawn.  We aren’t doing that, remember?” Juliet gently reminded him, placing a hand on his chest.

A sudden spark jumped between them.  It was almost like the spark he felt the first time he ‘almost’ kissed her after the bounty hunter case.  The same feeling of love.

“I’ll…see you later on.  I’ll call if we find anything,” he said, backing up.

“Right.  I’ll talk to you later,” Juliet nodded, sitting back down in her chair.

The two didn’t notice Lassiter watching them from the other side of the room with interest.

‘Ever since my wedding, those two have acted really strange toward each other.  It might be time to check up on that,’ he thought, sipping his coffee.

*****

Two more weeks had passed, and two more bodies had appeared.  Karen had officially announced that they had a serial killer on their hands to the media; and warned the public to stay vigilant. 

Shawn, in the meantime, had brought his old costume out of hiding, which was a secret panel in the Psych office.  Gus had never noticed the missing nails to the panel to the right of the closet door.

Shawn’s Bo, his costume and his stack of ‘calling cards’ were still practically in mint condition.  He was practically shocked that it was in that good of condition considering how many fights he’d been in over the years.

He was rather surprised, as well, to find he was still in pretty good shape.  Well, okay, he was better than he had been a couple of years ago.  He had lost weight after a couple of years gaining a few pounds. 

Now, he felt alive as he wielded his old Bo.  It still felt like second nature to him.  After all, the Sensei he studied under in Japan had said he was a natural.

‘Too bad I had to pretend I was terrible at it for that case with the Triads,’ he thought with a chuckle.

It was that same day they had found the sixth body, that Shawn knew it was time.  The Red Shadow was to appear from the darkness in Santa Barbara. 

“Tonight is the night.  El Sombra Rojo es listo,” Shawn said, holding his mask up and smiling.

*****

Darkness had fallen over the pier near the Psych office.  Shawn had waited until it was clear to venture out in his costume.  He didn’t want anyone to think he was a burglar leaving a crime scene or anything like that.

“The last thing I need is attention before I take down Marcos.  Now, to find that no good SOB,” Shawn whispered to himself as he made his way through the shadows.  He had the address of Mark DeSanas’ home, but knew that the man would be smart enough to have guards on every corner around his hacienda. 

 ‘Just have to stake it out and see what the pattern is for the guards.  Then I can come back and take him out,’ he thought as he hid behind a few cars.  A single car drove by, it’s headlights shining brightly.  It was then Shawn realized that it was Lassie’s Ford Fusion going by, toward the Psych office.

“What is he doing?” Shawn wondered aloud; all the while watching Lassie’s car park in front of the office. 

He watched as Lassiter climbed out and look around the pier and boardwalk.  Shawn watched as the detective took something shiny out of his pocket and go to unlock the door, only to find it open.

“Damn!  Why do I forget to lock that door?” Shawn asked himself as he proceeded back to the office.  He had to see what Lassie was up to.

Around the back Shawn went, remembering that the back door key was next to the door in a panel that only he and Gus knew about.  Of course, Shawn checked the back door first and found it open.

‘I’ve got to start writing notes to myself for this,’ he scolded himself as he snuck back into the office.  He figured he would surprise Lassie by turning on the lights.  That was, as soon as he removed the costume.

It was too late.  Lassie turned on the lights and caught the masked vigilante standing near the kitchen.

“Just what do you think you’re doing, Spencer?” Lassie asked, looking at Shawn up and down with a perplexed look on his face.

Shawn stayed quiet for a moment, realizing Lassie recognized him, even with the mask. 

“I can’t get anything past you, can I , Lassie?” Shawn asked, removing the red cloth from his face.

“What are you dressed as?  And why?  Wait, I don’t think I want to know,” Lassiter said, waving his hand.

“I’d like to know what you’re doing in the Psych office?” Shawn asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

Lassie got the deer in the headlight look, “I…I’m just…looking for clues about the serial murders.”

“Here?  Lassie, come on!  If I knew anything, you’d know,” Shawn exclaimed.

Lassiter sighed and sat on the edge of Gus’ desk, “All right, you caught me.  I’m trying to find out why you and O’Hara have been acting so weird toward each other.”

Shawn stared at Lassie in surprise, “Wait, what?”

“You two have been acting strange since my wedding.  I wanted to see if I could find out why,” Lassiter said with a shrug.

“Why would you even care?” Shawn asked gently.

“O’Hara’s my partner, Spencer.  I care about her, and you know that.  I warned you that if you ever hurt her, I’d shoot you repeatedly.  Obviously, I have to evidence to back up my defense.  I know you did something, I just can’t figure out what,” Lassiter said.

‘Oh, boy.  Now I have this to deal with, on top of everything else,’ Shawn thought.

“I think, Lassie, that you should focus on the case,” Shawn said aloud.  He looked over at his desk and saw the card.  He knew he’d have to give up some information, maybe give Lassie a lead, then take care of Marcos himself as The Red Shadow.

“Here,” he said, handing Lassiter the card, “I found this in Selena Rodriguez’s things.  It’s a card for Mark DeSanas.”

“The agent to the stars?” Lassiter asked, looking over the card.

“The very one.  She had just moved here about eight months ago, trying to get into the new Spanish soap opera.  He promised her the world, but that world included drugs.  Unlike a lot of people, she didn’t take the bait and tried to leave.  But, just like the others, including my friend Juan, she owed him money for the drugs.  So, Mark grabbed her in the night, force fed her cocaine, then made it look like someone mugged her.”

“How can you be sure it’s Mark DeSanas?  I mean, he’s a big name in show business,” Lassiter questioned.

“What better place to hide than in plain sight?” Shawn suggested.