He stood in the tree line, watching them through the windows of the Neversink Tavern.
How and why they'd gotten up here, he didn't know. He'd only taken #5 from Liberty because he thought, even after they'd given him a name... they'd just assume she was random, like 2 though 4. Since he took #1, he made sure nothing he did after matched that MO. Sherrif Cooper...always sticking his nose where it wasn't wanted. He probably brought it up to them. He'd never gotten over that girl going missing.
Anger seethed through him. He watched the two women laughing with the sherrif through that window. The blonde one was not his usual prey, she was a bit older, and the blonde hair wasn't his thing either...but he could imagine a world where he'd make an exception. She seemed so self assured. So confident. He got excited thinking about forcing her into submission. Breaking that confidence down.
One big problem with the blonde one. What was her name again...Rollins...she had felt his presence in the forest earlier today. He sensed that as much as she'd sensed him. She could prove a bit harder to overpower. She was one of those vigilant ones. Always expecting, therefore prepared for the worst. Some people listened to that gut instinct that told them when they were prey. Other people ignored it, sometimes to a point they didn't even feel it.
The younger one though, she was just his type. She was also more trusting, leaving herself unprotected a few times as they made that short hike through the woods. Probably grew up in the city and didn't expect a predator in this nice mountain town. Was more worried about ticks or mosquitos. He could have taken her right then, and just disappeared back into the dense forest with her before they knew a thing. Instead he decided to wait. The creek would keep them in Neversink. He'd take her tonight. This would be new, he hadn't had 2 at the same time.
He'd been chasing this feeling ever since he finally lived out his darkest fantasy with #1 in the woods. He'd been fantasizing about it for years. When he came across her camp while out hunting a few years ago... She was alone. Just her and that dog. He'd been able to chase the dog away pretty easy when he shot at him. Then it was just the two of them. He'd taken her deeper into the woods so no one would find them. Today these 2 women cops had ruined that sacred place for him. He'd never be able to pull his travel trailer up there and pitch a tent when the weather was nice. Letting those memories flood through him of his first time. That's where he was when he decided he needed to do it again. They had to pay for taking that away from him.
His thoughts drifted back to when he'd made the decision to take #2. This time he'd wanted a more...private place. Somewhere he could keep her longer. That's when he remembered those old shipping containers. He could make his own special place with those. No one would ever find it. So that's what he'd set out to do. It took months, but unless you knew right where to look, you could be standing right on top of them and never know it. His special hidden space.
He smiled in the night as he watched them through the windows. He could take #6 and stash her out at there. Until they lost all hope of finding her. Then he'd go back to be with his girls. Really take his time.
That's when he crept closer to the motel. He easily got into the room he'd seen the young brunette in earlier. The locks were hardly meant to really keep anyone out and it only took seconds to pick it.He slid under the motel bed and waited.