Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 108849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 544(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 544(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
He could almost hear the screams of his victims.
Thunder rumbled in the distance as he watched his glorious pages burn.
“Now, those two,” she said.
He took another big gulp of his wine and then tore the second journal apart the same way she had before throwing it onto the fire.
She gleefully poured more lighter fluid over it, her lithe body dancing in the firelight.
He finished his wine and sat back. “I could keep just one of them.”
She sighed and returned to her seat to finish her glass of wine. She poured herself another one, then walked toward him and dumped out the rest of the bottle in his glass. “Come on, Jason. You know you need to burn it.”
“I can’t do this anymore,” he burst out. “It’s too much.” The hiding by himself without his dates was killing him. Perhaps taking her life would help him to calm down.
“Do it.”
For courage, he tipped back the rest of the wine and then threw the plastic cup into the fire. “Fine.”
She’d been correct that he was a genius, and he would remember the kills. In fact, she’d be the first one he recorded in his new journal. His head was swimming from the wine, but he wasn’t letting her leave tonight. Almost angrily, he tore apart the journal and threw it on the fire.
She smiled and sprayed more of the lighter fluid.
A light rain began to fall. He’d read that there was a big storm coming.
She retook her seat, and together, silently, they watched the papers burn. “What did you do with the cops’ phones?” she asked. “Tell me. I did let you shoot at them, you know.”
“The phones are in the cabin,” he murmured. “I don’t know why you wanted me to take them. I turned them off so they can’t be traced.” No doubt she had more games to play, or at least she thought she did.
She wasn’t going to survive the night.
His eyes blurred as he watched his wonderful drawings go up in flames, and his head swam. Tears rolled down his cheeks, and his vision blurred. His feet went numb, and it took him a moment to realize that his ears tingled. What was wrong with him? Slowly, way too slowly, he turned to look at Abigail. “What did you—”
The world went fuzzy, and he slumped down in his chair, wanting to scream, but then the darkness took him.
Chapter 30
Laurel jerked awake when Huck’s phone vibrated, hopping across his nightstand. He shifted his bulk in the bed to grab it. “What?” he snapped into the phone. “Shit, really? All right, thanks.” He clicked off.
“What?” Laurel asked sleepily, turning over to face him.
He fumbled on the bedside table for his remote control. “How do I get streaming on this TV again?”
She pushed her hair out of her face and scooted up, reaching for the remote before clicking through to the Internet. “Where am I going?”
“The Killing Hour,” he muttered, also sitting up and then reaching over to flick on his bedside table light.
She scrolled to the correct app. “Who called?”
“Monty is up late going through case files and had his computer on.”
The stubborn man should be getting some rest. “Okay.” Laurel flicked through until she found The Killing Hour.
“Good evening. I am bringing you a special report even though it’s after the midnight hour,” Rachel said, looking excited. She appeared more casually turned out than usual, dressed in jeans and a dark gray sweater with her hair pulled up in a ponytail. Even so, her makeup was flawless.
Huck sighed. “This isn’t going to be good. I can just tell.”
Rachel’s voice lowered. “I couldn’t wait until tomorrow to report on my most recent news. However, this podcast will of course be available throughout the day, so please like and share, and if you choose to rate our podcast, there are links below to do so. I want to keep giving you the most up-to-date news.”
Laurel’s eyelids felt heavy, but she tried to concentrate anyway, her back to the solid headboard.
“As you know, we’ve reported that Fish and Wildlife Captain Huck Rivers is a suspect in the recent murders in Genesis Valley, but we couldn’t connect the dots as to why.” Rachel’s face settled into somber lines. “We have finally discovered the identity of the first victim in the River Reaper case.”
Huck groaned and slapped a hand against his head. “The River Reaper. Wow, she outdid herself with that one.”
Laurel swallowed.
Rachel’s eyes gleamed. “This is going to be a difficult podcast for me, so please just stick with me. The name of the first victim is Delta Rivers. She was in her sixties and once resided in Genesis Valley. You might recognize her last name because, as it turns out, she was the estranged mother of our very own Fish and Wildlife Captain Huck Rivers.”