cases. The sheriff would be too busy to help Dana
and the newspapers would have something new to feed on. Something that would
provide misdirection.
He
hadn’t been caught before and he wouldn’t be now. He was damned good at
that—not getting caught. And he already had his first victim chosen. But he’d
better get moving before things fell apart right before his eyes.
Today.
He’d start today. He could feel the sexual excitement the violence stimulated coursing
through his body. Throwing some bills on the table, he settled his Stetson on
his head, smiled at everyone, and walked slowly out of the diner.
****
He
watched Leanne Pritchard stop at her truck, both hands filled with plastic
sacks of soda, and stare at the flat tire. Even at this distance, he could see
the frown on her face. She looked around, as if seeking someone to help her,
but the parking lot was fairly empty of people. Besides, she’d parked way down
at the end of a row, on the side, where hardly anyone ever went. He’d never let
his own kids park so far away. But she was driving her daddy’s truck and
probably worried about scratching it.
She
set her sacks down and patted her pockets, obviously looking for her cell
phone. Kids never went anywhere without them these days. She finally pulled it
out and stared at it. This was the chance he’d taken, that she’d be able to
call for help. But it was a risk he was willing to take. He could just help her
with her tire and be on his way. Wait for a more appropriate time.
But
like so many kids these days—and adults—she’d apparently forgotten to recharge
it. She jabbed it back into her pocket in disgust.
Okay.
Good.
She
started back toward the store, but he only let her get a few steps before
calling her name. “Looks like you got a little problem, Leanne.”
She
looked up and recognized him at once. Of course. He was a friend of her father’s.
Tucking strands of her long, blonde hair behind her ears, she flashed a smile.
“Yeah.
My tire’s flat. Lordy, but Daddy’s going to kill me.”
“Over
a flat tire? Oh, honey, I don’t think so. Where were you headed?”
“Back
to…my friends. I made a soda run.”
“They’re
waiting at the park?” he asked, chuckling as she gasped in surprise. “Oh,
honey, some things aren’t too secret after all. Kids have been sneaking into
the park as long as I can remember.”
She
dropped her eyes and nodded. “I-I was going to call one of my friends to come
and get me, but my cell died. I guess I forgot to charge it.” She perked up a
little. “Do you have one? Maybe I could use yours.”
He
held out his hands, palms up. “Left it at home, dang it. Charging on the
counter. Need to get myself one of those car chargers, I guess.”
“Oh.”
Her smiled disappeared as she frowned.
He
reached down and picked up her bags. “Why don’t we do this? I’ll give you a
ride back to the park. Then you can get a couple of those strong young
stallions to come back here and change your tire.”
She
sighed with relief. “Oh, would you? That was my plan, anyway.”
“Sure.
Come on. Just hop into my truck and I’ll have you there in no time. Lock up
your vehicle.”
But
they hadn’t driven for five minutes before she turned to him, puzzled. “Wait.
We should be heading out toward the interstate.”
“I
know a short cut. Just relax, honey. I’ll have you there before you know it.”
Leanne
nibbled her lower lip, obviously uneasy. “Listen, maybe you could just drop me
off someplace where there’s a phone.”
“Now,
now, Leanne. I’ll have you there in short order. Just relax, honey. How about I
put in a CD. Music makes everyone feel better.” He lifted the lid on the center
console, fumbling inside.
She
slid as close to the door as she could get, and he sensed the tension in her
body. Okay, he couldn’t wait any longer. Flipping up the console cover with his
right hand, he pulled out the saturated cloth he’d stashed there, reached
and the newspapers would have something new to feed on. Something that would
provide misdirection.
He
hadn’t been caught before and he wouldn’t be now. He was damned good at
that—not getting caught. And he already had his first victim chosen. But he’d
better get moving before things fell apart right before his eyes.
Today.
He’d start today. He could feel the sexual excitement the violence stimulated coursing
through his body. Throwing some bills on the table, he settled his Stetson on
his head, smiled at everyone, and walked slowly out of the diner.
****
He
watched Leanne Pritchard stop at her truck, both hands filled with plastic
sacks of soda, and stare at the flat tire. Even at this distance, he could see
the frown on her face. She looked around, as if seeking someone to help her,
but the parking lot was fairly empty of people. Besides, she’d parked way down
at the end of a row, on the side, where hardly anyone ever went. He’d never let
his own kids park so far away. But she was driving her daddy’s truck and
probably worried about scratching it.
She
set her sacks down and patted her pockets, obviously looking for her cell
phone. Kids never went anywhere without them these days. She finally pulled it
out and stared at it. This was the chance he’d taken, that she’d be able to
call for help. But it was a risk he was willing to take. He could just help her
with her tire and be on his way. Wait for a more appropriate time.
But
like so many kids these days—and adults—she’d apparently forgotten to recharge
it. She jabbed it back into her pocket in disgust.
Okay.
Good.
She
started back toward the store, but he only let her get a few steps before
calling her name. “Looks like you got a little problem, Leanne.”
She
looked up and recognized him at once. Of course. He was a friend of her father’s.
Tucking strands of her long, blonde hair behind her ears, she flashed a smile.
“Yeah.
My tire’s flat. Lordy, but Daddy’s going to kill me.”
“Over
a flat tire? Oh, honey, I don’t think so. Where were you headed?”
“Back
to…my friends. I made a soda run.”
“They’re
waiting at the park?” he asked, chuckling as she gasped in surprise. “Oh,
honey, some things aren’t too secret after all. Kids have been sneaking into
the park as long as I can remember.”
She
dropped her eyes and nodded. “I-I was going to call one of my friends to come
and get me, but my cell died. I guess I forgot to charge it.” She perked up a
little. “Do you have one? Maybe I could use yours.”
He
held out his hands, palms up. “Left it at home, dang it. Charging on the
counter. Need to get myself one of those car chargers, I guess.”
“Oh.”
Her smiled disappeared as she frowned.
He
reached down and picked up her bags. “Why don’t we do this? I’ll give you a
ride back to the park. Then you can get a couple of those strong young
stallions to come back here and change your tire.”
She
sighed with relief. “Oh, would you? That was my plan, anyway.”
“Sure.
Come on. Just hop into my truck and I’ll have you there in no time. Lock up
your vehicle.”
But
they hadn’t driven for five minutes before she turned to him, puzzled. “Wait.
We should be heading out toward the interstate.”
“I
know a short cut. Just relax, honey. I’ll have you there before you know it.”
Leanne
nibbled her lower lip, obviously uneasy. “Listen, maybe you could just drop me
off someplace where there’s a phone.”
“Now,
now, Leanne. I’ll have you there in short order. Just relax, honey. How about I
put in a CD. Music makes everyone feel better.” He lifted the lid on the center
console, fumbling inside.
She
slid as close to the door as she could get, and he sensed the tension in her
body. Okay, he couldn’t wait any longer. Flipping up the console cover with his
right hand, he pulled out the saturated cloth he’d stashed there, reached
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