"B.D.! I know what he's going to do next!"
It was later that morning and Nancy was excited. Well, as excited as she could be while there was a killer on the loose. She didn't even care that she had yelled across the police station. This was the first break–semi-break–they had. And even though they still had no idea who was behind the murders, she would take anything that she could get.
"Well, Nancy," B.D. said, striding up to her. "You certainly know how to make an entrance."
"You should stick around and see my exit," Nancy said, grinning.
B.D. grinned back at her. "So, what did you come in here yelling about?"
Nancy held up her copy of Never Again. "This is how he is doing the murders."
"This I have to hear," B.D. said. He put a hand on her back and ushered her in front of him. "Come to my office."
He pointed to a chair, but Nancy couldn't sit down.
"Now what is this nonsense about the book?" B.D. said, looking at her, amused.
"Have you read the book?" Nancy asked.
"I can't say that I've had the time," he said, sarcastically. "I've been kind of swamped by these pesky murders."
"I'm talking about the murders," Nancy said, annoyed. She held up the book again. "He is copying the murders from the book."
"Okay, Nancy–now I think you're just trying to grasp at anything," he said.
Nancy rolled her eyes and pushed the book across the desk at him. "Just look at the pages that I have marked."
B.D. looked at her and slowly picked up the book. He reluctantly opened it and read over the pages that she had marked.
"You were serious," B.D. said after he read it.
"Uh...yeah," Nancy said. "I can't believe that you didn't believe me!"
"Well, I'm sorry, Nancy. But when you come in here, waving a book and saying that this is how that psycho is killing people, I tend to have a hard time believing you," he said.
"It is not that out there," Nancy said. "He has to get his inspiration from somewhere. What better place than a book that gives you every single detail about a murder?"
"But the murders haven't been exact," B.D. said. "What about the missing hair? I didn't see that in any of the pages you marked."
"I know," Nancy said. "I read that book cover-to-cover and I never saw any mention of missing hair. So, apparently, he has some kind of sick fetish about hair."
"That's obvious," B.D. said, handing the book bak to her. "And now I see where he got the name 'Katie'."
"I think he thinks he's really living the book. It's the only way to explain it. He thinks he's the killer in the book," Nancy said.
"And he thinks of you as Katie–the heroine of the book," B.D. said, slowly.
Nancy nodded. "Yeah."
"Do I want to know how the book ends?" he asked.
Nancy looked down at her feet. "Well...Katie lives. So, that's a good thing, right?"
"A good thing? B.D. asked. "That means he comes after you. The better thing would be if he didn't do it at all."
"I agree," Nancy said.
"Look, Nancy...I really wish you would reconsider letting me put a guard on to watch you," B.D. said.
"B.D., I appreciate the concern. I really do," Nancy said. "But I can't do it. If he's going by the book, he won't let anything or anyone stand in his way. The ending will come true, whether we want it to or not."
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Dom flipped off the television and chuckled to himself. The police had just held a press conference, trying to calm down the fair citizens of River Heights. But there was nothing that the police could say that would calm down. They were living in fear and he was the cause of it all.
But what really struck him was the fact that he had no emotion at all about Brenda Carlton's murder. He wasn't feeling guilty and it wasn't pleasing for him. Sure, he had gotten her out of Katie's way, but it didn't seem to be enough. He needed more–he wanted more.
Katie had been upset about the murder, but who wasn't? But Katie didn't seem to have any fear. Or was it she was disappointed in him?
No! Dom's mind screamed. He felt as if someone had pulled the rug right from under his feet. That couldn't happen! He couldn't disappoint Katie.
He pulled out the picture of Katie and ran a finger across her face. He had cut the boyfriend out of the picture so that she was the only one staring back at him. He couldn't take care of the boyfriend yet. He had plans and he couldn't let his nerves get the best of him.
"Is that true, Katie?" Dom asked, softly. "Am I letting you down?"
He stared at the picture, as if urging her to say something to him. He needed to know he wasn't a disappointment to her. Everything he was doing, it was for her! Why couldn't she see that?
Dom grabbed the glass he had been drinking from and screamed in frustration as he threw it against the wall. He didn't even worry about the neighbors hearing him. He felt mild satisfaction as the glass shattered into thousands of tiny pieces.
But only mild–he needed to do something that would excite him. He needed to do something that would make Katie proud.
Or maybe he needed to do something that would take her by surprise. After all, she didn't seem to be that worried about him.
Maybe it was time to being out some of the fear.
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"Ned, all I have to do is change my clothes and then we can go to the movie," Nancy said, as she unlocked the door to her house.
Ned sighed behind her and put his hands on her shoulders as she pushed the door open. "And what is wrong with what you have on?"
Nancy gave Ned a disbelieving look. "Ned, in all the years that we've been dating, have you ever seen me wear the same outfit on a date that I've been wearing all day?"
Ned held up his hands in surrender. "Forget I even said anything."
"I'll be right down," Nancy said over her shoulder as she climbed up the stairs.
"And I'll hold my breath," Ned said.
Ten minutes later, Nancy was downstairs ready for their date. It felt really good to be going out with Ned tonight. Maybe for the next few hours she could put the murders behind her and concentrate on something that made her happy.
She could see that Ned was staring at the small table that was beside the door.
"What's wrong?" Nancy asked.
"There's something missing," Ned said, thoughtfully.
"What?" Nancy asked. She walked over to him and looked at the pictures that were sitting on the table.
"Where's the picture of you and me?" Ned asked.
"It should be here," Nancy said.
"Well, it's not," Ned said. "Did you move it and just forget?"
"No, I haven't even touched them," Nancy said. "Maybe Dad or Hannah moved it. Or maybe it fell."
They looked on the floor by the table, but there was no sign of the picture.
"Ned, I honestly don't know where it is," Nancy said. "It's been here for the longest time."
"Well, maybe you were right," Ned said. "Maybe Hannah moved it and just forgot to tell you."
"She usually tells me when she does something like that," Nancy said.
"Look, just forget that I said anything about it," Ned said. "We can look for it when we get back. Let's just get to the movie before it starts."
"All right," Nancy said. Ned walked out ahead of her and she stopped before she shut the door. The picture was there a couple of days ago, so where was it now?
Nancy felt a chill go down her spine as she shut the door. Was it like she said and it had been moved? Or did someone take it? But why would someone want a picture of her and Ned? Who would want a picture of her and Ned?
But then Nancy could think of only one person. The killer.
The killer had been in her house and she never even knew.
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Author's Note: Well, at least it's not that bad of a cliffhanger this time. And I know this isn't that long of a chapter, but at least you have one, right? Bet you're wondering what Dom will do next, huh? I am, too, because I really have no idea. He's a tricky little devil...By the way, I promise that the Hardy boys will be in the story. You just have to be patient and wait a little longer. Oh, and just so you know...I have yet another hurricane headed my way, so wish me luck!
Liz I am not going into the criminal justice field. I considered it long ago, but realized I couldn't ever make it. But if you are wondering, I'm going into the English field. I plan to teach high school. Which, really, when I think about it, police work might be safer!
Steph Yes, I did get that chapter title from the Taking Back Sunday song. I wondered if anybody would catch that. I absolutely love that song and I couldn't think of a good chapter title, so I went for a song.
Let me know what you think!