"Hey, Sami, how's it going?"
Samantha Sparks looked up from her computer screen to see Randy Hork, her favorite photographer, leaning against the short wall of her cubicle. "Hey Randy, any good pics today?"
"I got a great shot of some kids playing the snow."
"There was barely a dusting."
"Come on, it doesn't need to stick on the ground, as long as it's snowing there will be kids out playing. What are you working on?"
"I was hoping to speak with the Arusian princess, she's visiting Terra for a few weeks with friends. I was working on the allegations Vinn made against the Arusian royal family."
"Do you know where she is?"
"I know she's staying with Vince Alexander's family, you know, the attorney. I'm pretty sure she's involved with his son, Tristan. I tracked them down to the family's home on Cape Cod, but, well, her boyfriend wasn't very polite."
"What are you going to do?" He asked, snatching an m&m from the small dish she kept by her monitor.
"I was put on another story. Did you know that Tristan Alexander is really good friends with Owen McIntyre?"
"Judge McIntyre's son?"
"Yeah, his fiancée, Colleen, was murdered last year. It's coming up on the anniversary of that."
"How do you remember that?"
She looked up at him, "What do you mean?"
"With all the murders and deaths that go on here, I can't believe how you can remember that."
"It was the first murder I ever covered. I'll never forget," she shuddered. "The poor girl was slaughtered."
Randy shook his head, "You still don't have the 'hard reporter crust' yet."
"Hey, I'm a good reporter."
"You are. Just remember, Sami, you can't take it all to heart, it will break you."
"I know."
"All right, well, I'm being sent down to the courthouse. They're letting out soon and I'm supposed to try and shoot that jerk who's up for embezzling."
"Good luck, Randy."
"You too," he patted her head and turned toward the photog room.
Samantha turned back to the screen, reading through the stories she had written about Colleen Warren's death, funeral, and the resulting investigation. With the lack of evidence and no arrests made, the story had fallen to the wayside. She had come up with the idea of doing a 'look back, one year later' story on the murder. When her attempt to interview Princess Cadence had fallen through the Vinn trial story had been passed on to another reporter and she had decided to throw herself into the retrospective. She had happened upon an old picture taken at Colleen's funeral. Owen McIntyre stood behind Colleen's parents, his own family surrounding him, and just over his shoulder was Tristan Alexander.
Glancing down at the notepad beside her keyboard, Samantha jotted down a note about trying to call Tristan about Owen and Colleen. There was already a list of people to call and she was still waiting for the detective who had investigated the case to return her call.
When the murder had happened, there had been speculation that it had been committed by the so-called 'Fairy Tale Killer'. A serial murderer who had been terrorizing Eastern Massachusetts for nearly three years, he would brutally murder his victims, slaughtering them to the point of being unrecognizable and then leaving a page from a Grimm's Fairy Tale book clutched in the victim's hand.
The only difference between the Fairy Tale Killer's m.o. and what happened to Colleen was that she was not holding the page, leaving the police to believe she was killed by a copycat killer. Her murder was left unsolved while the Fairy Tale Killer was still on the loose, but, if he had nothing to do with Colleen's death, he had not committed a crime in two years.
Now it was up to Samantha to convince her editor to allow her to do this story. With the number of crimes and murders that take place in the city, it was not feasible to concentrate on each one separately. But if she could get some more information, show him that there was real evidence that Colleen's murder had been committed by the Fairy Tale Killer, then she could bring it back to the forefront.
"Hi, Samantha, how are you?"
She looked up and swallowed a groan when she saw Mitch Larkin standing beside her desk. Mitch was a senior reporter and had stolen the Vinn trial out from under her. When she had failed to get the interview with Cady, he convinced their editor she was too inexperienced for such a huge story.
"Hello, Mitch, I'm doing fine. How are you?"
"Great, great. I was able to set up an interview with Mr. and Mrs. Alexander, the couple the Arusian princess is staying with. What story are you working on? The street construction on Beacon?"
"No, I believe Jane is working on that."
"Well, I appreciate your help with the Vinn trial. Your list of numbers will be very helpful."
"Anytime," she mumbled, gritting her teeth and glaring at her computer monitor.
Mitch patted her shoulder, "You're a good kid, Samantha, I'm sure your big story is just around the corner."
Cady and Tristan were sitting in the den watching a movie when they heard the front door open.
"They're back," Cady squealed, jumping to her feet.
Tristan followed her into the foyer where Sky and Erik were handing their bags to Henry. "Welcome back, guys. How was the drive?"
"Oh, it was great," Sky gushed, waving her left hand around.
Cady watched her friend, confused by her behavior, "Um, are you okay?"
"Me?" Sky asked, bring her left hand up to rest against her cheek. "I'm fine."
"What did you do to her?" Tristan whispered to Erik.
"I'm not allowed to tell you, you have to figure it out yourself," Erik whispered back.
"So, uh, where did you stay last night?" The Princess asked as they walked back to the den.
"It was the greatest Bed and Breakfast called 'The Hideaway," Sky explained, gesturing wildly, waving her left hand around.
Tristan caught on and leaned forward, whispering in Cady's ear. Her eyes widened and she grabbed Sky's hand.
"Oh my goodness! Sky is that what I think it is?"
"Yes, it is!" Red's pilot squealed.
Erik and Tristan watched as their girlfriends spoke quickly and in voices three octaves higher than normal.
"You're making me look bad," Tristan said.
Erik shrugged, "What can I say, I'm a more romantic boyfriend."
"Yeah right," he snorted.
"I am, just ask Sky. Apparently, she and Cady are always comparing boyfriends and I win."
"Sky told you that?"
"Yes."
"You realize, don't you, that she's a little biased?"
"Nope, I'm the best."
Tristan looked over to were Cady and Sky were sitting on the couch. His girlfriend examining the ring while Sky spoke animatedly. "Have you told your parents yet?"
"Not yet. We'll probably call them tonight. Sky's parents knew it was coming since I asked Lance for his permission."
"Have you decided when the big day is going to be?"
"We're waiting two years."
"Why?"
"I promised Lance we would wait until she finished school before we got married."
Tristan shook his head, "I can't believe you're even talking about marriage."
"Haven't you?"
"I guess I've had a passing thoughtabout it, but I don't think I'm quite ready."
"Well, you and Cady have only been together a few months. Give it some time."
Tristan looked over and caught Cady staring at him, she blushed and looked back at her friend. "I don't know if she's going to be able to wait now that you went and proposed to Sky."
Erik chuckled, "Just wait until you have to talk to Keith about marrying Cady."
"I was thinking, maybe, of going through the Queen. I figured having her on my side would make it all a little easier."
"So you have been thinking about it."
Tristan sighed, "Of course I have. A lot. It's that Arusian magic. The first time I saw her I was thinking about it."
"So, maybe we'll have a double wedding?"
"Maybe."
"Tristan, darling," Josie Alexander appeared in the doorway of the den. "Can I speak with you, please?"
"Of course, Mother," he followed her into the hallway.
"Darling, a reporter called your father's office this morning."
Tristan felt his body tense.
"He wants to talk to your father and I about Cady visiting. Your father thinks we should speak with her first, see if there is anything we should not comment on."
"Everything," he said stiffly. "You tell them you have no comment on everything. We're trying to distance ourselves from the media."
"I understand, Tristan, but do you have any idea how it appears when we dismiss the media like that?"
"I don't care how it looks, Mother."
"Of course you don't, you no longer live here. We have appearances to keep up, Tristan, if our name is mentioned in the paper, we had better be able to back it up. Your father's name is well known, if it's mentioned in the paper, we can't allow it to be negative publicity."
He gritted his teeth, "Mother, we cannot comment on the case, it hasn't gone to trial yet, Dad knows that."
"I know that, but what would be the harm in talking about you and Cady? We are so proud of you and she is such a lovely girl, we are so glad she is part of our family now."
"Mother," Tristan pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. "We had hoped to have a nice, quiet vacation, not in the limelight. We would appreciate it if you didn't comment on us."
"I promise we won't discuss anything personal or embarrassing, it'll be fun."
"Okay, Mother, whatever," he sighed, knowing he was getting nowhere with her. "We're leaving tomorrow for New York."
"Oh, but darling, you've been on Terra for two weeks and we've hardly seen you and now you're leaving again?"
"You know we have to be there for the trial. I can't believe it will be that long. We're hoping to bring her parents here so you can meet."
Josie smoothed her hand over her hair, "Oh really? The Queen here? When do you think they would be arriving? We should plan another dinner party."
"No, I was actually thinking the six of us could just go out to dinner. No party, no press, nothing."
She waved her hand dismissively, "We'll discuss this when you come back."
Tristan closed his eyes and gave a silent thanks that they would be returning to Arus before long. He returned to the den to find his girlfriend sitting on the edge of the coffee table, facing her friends, talking animatedly.
"Tristan," Cady grinned at him as he entered. "Don't you think they should wait and tell Aunt Romelle and Uncle Sven in person rather than call them?"
"When are they arriving?" Tristan asked, sinking into the arm chair by the window.
"They're leaving Pollux tomorrow morning, they should arrive in New York the day after tomorrow," Erik told him.
"Tell them in person."
"I don't know if I can wait that long," Sky said excitedly.
Erik rolled his eyes, "I think you can try."
"Can we call my parents?"
"Yeah, we'll call in two hours, they should be home from work by then."
Sky clapped her hands together, "Oh, I can't wait!"
"When are we leaving tomorrow?" Cady asked, changing the subject.
"I was thinking first thing in the morning," Tristan said.
Erik looked at him, "Why so early? I thought we were leaving early afternoon."
He shrugged, "I just want to get on the road early."
"Well, I don't know about you guys," Sky said, stretching her arms above her head and then out in front of her so she could see the ring. "But I am just so glad to be in one spot tonight."
"Me too," Cady agreed. "Let's just stay in tonight."
"Sounds good to me," Tristan said. "We can order in. There are menus in the kitchen."
The four of them made their way into the large kitchen. Tristan pulled open a drawer in the island that sat in the center of the room and produced several takeout menus.
"What are you guys in the mood for?" He asked, spreading the menus out in front of them.
Cady picked one up, "Chinese?"
"Sounds good to me," Sky said, leaning back against Erik.
Tristan flipped on the small television that occupied the corner of the counter, "Yeah, I could do Chinese."
"Want to share?" Sky asked Erik.
He looked over her shoulder and studied the menu, "I don't know. Are you in a shrimp lo mein mood?"
She wrinkled her nose, "Okay, maybe we shouldn't share."
Cady laid a hand on her flat stomach, "I have been so bad this week, I think I'm just going to get the grilled vegetables."
Sky rolled her eyes, "Oh, stop it, Cady, you are incapable of putting weight on."
"I have had my share of cheesecake this week."
"Ah, your ultimate weakness."
"Yes, and Tristan has learned to use that to his advantage, right hon?" When he didn't respond, Cady looked up to see him engrossed in whatever was on the television. She walked over to see what it was.
A reporter sat behind the desk with a box over her shoulder that read 'Breaking News'.
"And to recap our breaking news, the police are saying that the Fairy Tale Killer has struck again. A woman was found brutally murdered and clutched in her hand was the title page to 'Little Briar Rose' from a copy of Grimm's Fairy Tales. Her body was found in Boston Common, hidden in the brush, by a man walking his dog. Police say she was killed somewhere else and her body left in the Common. Her identity will not be released until her next of kin has been notified. If any of you have any information on this latest murder, please call Boston City Police…"
With an angry sigh, Tristan shut off the television.
"What is it?" Cady asked quietly.
"The Fairy Tale Killer has been terrorizing this area for years. At first, they believed that's who killed Colleen, but his m.o. was that after he kills the woman, he leaves the title page of a fairy tale in her hand. There was no page with Colleen." He explained.
"Who's Colleen?" Erik asked.
Tristan filled him and Sky in on the whole sad story of Owen and Colleen. He finished by explaining the Fairy Tale Killer to them and how, if he hadn't killed Colleen, this was his first murder in two years.
"How many has he killed?" Sky asked.
He hesitated a moment, trying to remember. "I believe this will be his fourth, not counting Colleen. A woman with hair down to her ankles was the 'Rapunzel', a maid for a wealthy family was the 'Cinderella' murder, a redheaded woman was 'Little Red-Cap' or 'Little Red Riding Hood', and this woman was 'Little Briar Rose,' which I think is 'Sleeping Beauty'. If he did kill Colleen, with her black hair and fair skin, she would probably have been 'Snow White'."
"That's awful," Cady gasped.
Tristan turned to her, "Promise me that as long as we're here, you won't go out alone."
"Okay, I promise."
"You too," Erik said to Sky.
"Erik…"
"Don't argue with me, Schuyler, it will put me at ease to know you're not out there alone."
"I'll be glad when we're out of here," Tristan muttered.
"Poor Owen," Cady sighed.
"Yeah, having this happen will be like opening the wound all over again."
"Is there anything we can do?" Sky asked quietly.
Tristan shrugged, "I'll give him a call later, see how he's doing."
Cady slid her arm around his waist and gave him a gentle, reassuring squeeze.
"Come on," Tristan cleared his throat. "I'm hungry, let's order something."
"Hey, how's Owen doing?" Cady asked as Tristan entered her room. She had just finished putting her things together for their next trip and was about to get ready for bed when he knocked on her door.
"He's all right, or rather he says he is."
"What did he have to say?"
"Not much. I don't think he wants to talk right now. So I told him to give me a call if he needed to."
She crossed over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her cheek against his chest, "You're a good friend."
He wrapped his arms around her, "You ready to leave in the morning?"
"Yeah. After the trial, can we just stay in the house for two days, not drive anywhere."
Tristan smiled softly, "Sure."
She tilted her head back, "What is it, hon?"
"I just…well, I think of what Owen has gone through and I am so glad I have you here with me right now."
Cady raised herself up on her toes and kissed him, "I'm not going anywhere."
"I meant what I said earlier. I don't want you out alone or without one of us along as your guard."
"I know, don't worry, I won't."
He brought his hand up to brush back her golden curls and cup her cheek, "Cady, I would like to stay with you tonight."
She smiled, "I'd like that too."
"I'm not trying to take advantage of you, I just want to be with you."
"You can take advantage of me if you want."
Tristan smiled softly and kissed her, "I'll keep that in mind." He stepped out of her embrace, "I'll be back."
Fifteen minutes later, there was a soft knock on her door. "Come in," Cady called quietly.
Tristan opened the door and slid in. He wore green pajama pants and a plain white t-shirt that clung to every muscle in his torso.
She set aside the magazine she was flipping through and smiled softly, "Hi."
"Hey there," he pulled back the quilt and slid in beside her. Wordlessly, he pulled her to him and curved his body to spoon with her.
Cady gently rubbed her hand over the arm he had wrapped around her waist, "Are you okay?"
"I am now," he whispered, his breath ruffling her hair.
Cady felt safe and content in his arms. She allowed her imagination to wander, to think of what it would be like to fall asleep every night with his arms wrapped tightly around her.
Tristan listened as her breathing slowed and she fell into a deep slumber. He was ready for this vacation to be over, to have the trial ended and to not have to worry about Cady being alone outside the house. At this moment, he longed for the safe monotony they had on Arus.
"I love you," he whispered. "And I promise to keep you safe."
She sighed quietly in her sleep.
"Let's check in first and go grab some lunch," Tristan said as he pulled his car into a parking garage.
"Sounds good to me," Erik said.
Cady checked her watch, "My parents are due here in about five hours."
"We can get a little shopping in," Sky whispered.
"Sounds good to me," Cady whispered back.
Erik and Tristan glanced at each other and groaned.
"Oh come on," Cady chided. "You had to know we would want to shop. They have the best stores here."
"Just keep in mind," Tristan said after he handed the keys over to an attendant. "Anything that doesn't fit in the ship I get to throw away."
"We can mail anything that doesn't fit ."
Erik snorted as he pulled a couple of their bags out of the back of the car. "And who is going to pay for that postage?"
Cady whirled around and grabbed Tristan's shoulders, pulling him close, she pressed her lips to his in a hot kiss.
Erik and Sky glanced at each other, both a little shocked at the open display of affection.
"I, uh, I guess I would be paying," Tristan said, a little bewildered.
He studied the picture in the newspaper. It showed four people. Four beautiful people. The Princess leaving with her boyfriend and her friends, they all held bags, ready to go away on what was undoubtedly a fun trip. The story said something about some trial, he didn't care what it was about.
He licked his lips as his brain formulated a plan. All of the Fairy Tales talked about Princes and Princesses. To actually kill royalty would seal his place in history. It would start an interplanetary outcry.
He wasn't stupid, he knew his time was running out. With the new forensic sciences and the higher police presence, it was getting more difficult for him to continue with his 'hobby'.
No, it wasn't becoming more difficult, he was just getting tired. He wanted his name known, like David Berkowitz or Ted Bundy or Jeffrey Dahmer. Everyone knows their names and they were all over the media, they went down in history. They were famous. Now that he was getting tired, he was ready to retire, readyfor his infamy. He was ready for everyone to know his name.
"Brian! Come on, what's the hold up?"
He looked up and grinned as his friend, Gary, jogged over to him. He quickly tossed the paper in the trashcan and stood, "What do you mean 'What's the hold up'? You're the one holding me up, you jerk."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Gary grumbled looking around. "Can you believe they found that woman's body over there? Geez, that was unbelievable."
"Yeah, tell me about it." Brian bit his lip to keep from grinning. Yeah, someday, someday soon, everybody would know the name Brian Sebold.
