Chapter 25: The Drama Continues
*****Two Days Later******
Dick woke up to sounds of voices in his kitchen. Yawning, he went in to see who was there. A strange sight met his eyes. His father was sipping coffee at the counter chatting with Lettie, who was making breakfast, and Weevil. Weevil and his father looked to be having a serious discussion.
"Dad! What are you doing here?" he asked. "Good morning, Grandma Lettie. I didn't know you were going to be here this morning." She came in three days a week to clean and cook a few meals, but she usually didn't arrive in the mornings. Dick adored Weevil's grandmother, who was so much more maternal that any of the cooks or housekeepers they'd had in the house growing up. When Dick had mentioned his jealousy that Weevil had a grandmother, she had given him an indulgent smile and permission to call him Grandma Lettie. It annoyed Weevil to no end, which made it even sweeter.
"I called Lettie last night to see if she could spend more time here the next few days while I'm in town," Dick Sr. said.
"You couldn't call and let me know you were coming?" Dick asked, somewhat annoyed. Although he and his father's relationship had improved greatly, his father was still high-handed at times.
"I sent you an email," his dad replied. "I heard about this new mess on campus and wanted to see what precautions the school was taking. I have a meeting with the Dean this afternoon. Then you and I are joining the Sinclairs' for dinner."
"We are?" Dick asked, blinking in surprise.
"Yes, Stephen and I want to see what you and the girls are doing to keep yourselves safe," Dick Sr. said.
Dick rolled his eyes. His dad had cared less about safety when he was growing up. Not even Lilly Kane's murder had caused much parental concern. However, since his brother's death and his dad's incarceration, he was always worrying about Dick's future in one way or another. Since his dad realized that Mac was going to be a part of his future, he was now worrying about her. It was kind of sweet but also weird.
"I was just telling your dad about what Jay and I are working on," Weevil said. "So far the only connection we can find is they're both students. They didn't know each other and didn't have any common classes."
"Those poor girls," Lettie said with a sad sniff. "I lit a candle for them at church."
Dick looked confused and gave Weevil a questioning look. Weevil grinned and slightly shook his head, indicating that he shouldn't ask. Dick guessed Weevil would tell him later how candle lighting could help a dead girl.
*****On Campus*****
Duncan was getting yelled at once again by his coach. He'd missed an easy kick. It was the second time.
"Sorry, Coach. A lot on my mind today," Duncan said.
The coach frowned. Duncan was his best walk on player and never gave him problems. The murders of the girls had everyone's concentration shot. Poor kid was probably thinking about his own murdered sister. He gave Duncan a sympathetic look. "Yeah, the deaths are making it hard on everyone. Why don't we call it a day?" the coach suggested, blowing his whistle.
Duncan felt a flash of guilt as he realized what the coach had been thinking. Anyone that knew his last name and had lived for several years in Neptune knew about what had happened to Lilly. However, Duncan hadn't been thinking about Lilly. She'd not been killed by a serial killer but an angry lover. Realizing where the coach had naturally went, though, did bring back a few gruesome images. Once he had been in Australia with his daughter, he had stopped living in a fog of medication. The memories of discovering his sister's body had come back. It wasn't the creepy dream sequences but the real thing. For the most part, however, he was able to not think about his sister's death but focus on her life. Since his daughter, her names' sake, often reminded him visibly of her, it was easy to do.
Grimacing, he went to the sidelines and grabbed a water bottle out of the cooler. He glanced over at the nearby cheerleaders. Truth be told, that was the source of his distraction. His mind was on Parker and the news that she and Piz were broken up. A fact she'd both kept from him and didn't seem that broken up about. Trying to figure out both what that meant and how he felt was the source of his distraction.
The girls' team began to come out onto the field. Kayla saw him and waved. He smiled at her and walked in her direction. Now Kayla was fun and easy to be with. She didn't tie him up in knots or keep him hurt or upset. Maybe she didn't inspire the same depth of feeling as Parker, but that was fine. They always had a good time.
She met him halfway. "Hey, gorgeous!" she said in greeting. She went up on her tiptoes to kiss him, keeping it light and friendly—like her.
Duncan gave her a genuine smile of affection. He did like her, so he made a conscious effort to put Parker out of his mind.
A few yards away, Parker was watching their interaction, trying not to be depressed over the fact that right when she'd finally moved on from Piz, Duncan had met someone else. She watched Kayla kiss him. The smile of affection Duncan gave her was obvious. Disheartened, she turned to walk to the locker room.
Twenty minutes later, she was coming out of the locker room at the same time as Duncan. She gave him a small smile.
"Hello," she said.
"Hey, Parker. How are you doing?" he asked.
"I'm good. And you?" she asked.
"Can't complain," he said with a shrug. When she nodded and turned to walk away, he felt compelled to stop her. "Parker, wait."
She turned. More students came out, so they weren't alone.
"Can I walk with you?" he asked, wanting more privacy.
"I'm heading to class," she said. He nodded and got in step with her.
They were silent a few minutes, both unsure of how to proceed. Finally, Duncan said, "Is it really over between you and Piz?"
She looked at him and nodded. "Yes, it really is," she replied.
Duncan couldn't help but ask, "Was it because of me?"
"Not exactly. It's like I said. We both realized that if we loved each other the way some of our friends love each other, the separation would be harder," she said. She stopped walking and decided to be completely honest. "If I really loved him like I should, I wouldn't have kissed you either time while he and I were dating. I'm not a cheater."
"Why did you then?" Duncan asked.
She looked at him silently a moment. Then she said softly, "You know why." Then she turned and walked away from her.
Duncan let her go, unsure of what to do. Did he want to risk getting hurt again by getting close to her?
******The Sinclairs'******
Mac looked around at the table. She was sitting between Dick and her sister; Madison was across from her and her boyfriend James next to her. Dick Sr. was sitting across from Dick, to the right of her father, who sat at the head. Marilyn sat at the other end. So far, dinner had been a pleasant affair. It was still weird to have two set of parents. Or rather to be able to move between both sets with such ease. Not even Madison could ruin the dinners anymore. Since she started dating James, an actual nice guy, Madison seemed happy, which made her right down pleasant at times.
"Girls, this new mess on campus has us worried," Mac's father began.
"I met with the dean already, and he has increased campus security, especially at night," Dick Sr. said. "There's also a deputy on campus at all hours now."
"That's good," Marilyn said in relief.
"We'll be careful," Mac said.
"I think Maddie needs to be the most careful," Dick said.
"Why's that?" Madison asked, frowning.
"So far none of the victims have been brunettes," Dick pointed out. "One was really blonde and the other a strawberry blonde."
James frowned and looked at Madison. "She doesn't live on campus and isn't in a sorority," he pointed out. "She drives everywhere. Don't you think that matters?"
"Absolutely," Mac said. "Veronica said that most serial killers don't target specific women, but those that are easy targets."
"I'm going to be staying over at Mac's, though, just to be safe," Dick said. "Parker is anxious."
"Daisy is moving in with her boyfriend, who's really freaked," Mac said.
"And he's one of the guys investigating this," Dick shared.
"I'm glad your friends are being safe," Marilyn said.
"I can't believe there's a crazy person going around killing people," Lauren said with a shudder. It made her health concerns seem insignificant. However, she had promised Brad.
"You will not go anywhere near Hearst, okay?" her father said, looking at his youngest daughter.
"I have no reason to, so don't worry," Lauren said. "But I do think you should get me a doctor's appointment soon, though."
All eyes looked at her in concern—her family with fear. "Why? What's wrong? Are you feeling sick?" the questions came one after another from both her parents.
"I'm fine. It's not the cancer!" she assured them. "But I have this rash that hasn't went away." She held out her hand.
Marilyn put her hand on her chest. "You nearly gave me a heart attack, sweetie!" she exclaimed.
"I have also been sore and tired," Lauren added, confessing it all.
"Well, you're still growing, honey," Stephen said. "It's natural to have growing pains."
"Do you think that's all it is?" Lauren asked hopefully.
"I'm sure it is," her mom said, smiling. "But we will definitely make an appointment. With your history, it's better to be on the side of caution."
Lauren felt relieved. Now she didn't have to feel like she was hiding anything. Maybe it was nothing. That'd be a nice change.
"So Dad, Mac and I decided we definitely want to go to the Congo for spring break," Dick said, changing the subject.
"Why in the world would you want to go to the Congo? Isn't that, like, in Africa?" Madison asked, curly her lips in distaste.
"Thea's dad Nick works with Doctors Without Borders," Mac explained. "He says they could always use volunteers. It's a life changing experience."
"It's good to, you know, give back," Dick said. "Plus, we can get college credit."
"Isn't that country really dangerous?" Lauren asked in concern.
"Those tribes are always fighting over something, right Stephen?" Marilyn asked, turning to her husband.
"Thea's dad says the place he's established with Borders is very safe," Mac said before their protests could escalate.
"Thea's going to go there this summer. Her dad wouldn't let her go if it wasn't safe," Dick pointed out.
"Have you already bought your ticket?" Dick Sr. asked.
Dick shook his head. "No, we're going to Skype with Nick tonight and get the details worked out," Dick said.
"It may not be the Congo, though," Mac said. "He said southern India was always needing relief work."
"India would probably be better," Stephen said. "English is the official language, so most people speak it."
"We'll let you know as soon as we do," Mac told them. "We have about two and a half weeks before break."
"Tickets will be pricey during spring break," Marilyn said. "Buying it late makes it even more so."
"We can afford it," Dick said with a grin.
Madison rolled her eyes. "I guess your trust fund is good for something besides booze and bimbos," she said.
"I haven't been with a bimbo in a long time," Dick said. Then he winked. "Not since you!"
Madison glared at him. "I'm not a bimbo!" she defended.
"Actually, didn't you marry someone you barely knew freshman year?" Lauren reminded him with a grin.
Dick looked surprised. "How did you know that?" he asked her.
Mac gave her sister a look of admonishment. "Lauren!" she rebuked. Lauren had been hanging out with her and Veronica and that topic had somehow come up months ago.
"Not one of his better choices," Dick Sr. said in disapproval.
"Says the man who's been married and divorced how many times, Dad?" Dick said with a snicker.
"Back to the original topic," Mac said, guiding the conversation. "Dick and I have a business. One that is very lucrative. We don't waste money, so we can afford an expensive ticket."
"Must be nice," James said with a grin.
"I didn't grow up an 09ers, so yes, it's nice to have money when you need it," Mac said, smiling. James was a nice guy, so she really hoped they lasted a while. Unlike some of the entitled jerks Madison hung out with, James was from a middle class family.
Madison wisely didn't comment. She'd worked hard to keep her mean girl side in check since she met James. She really liked him, and he seemed to actually like her, and he had no tolerance for cattiness. His ex had been a real bitch.
"I think it's great you want to go help sick people in another poor country," Lauren said proudly. "I'd so love to do that!"
"When you're older, you can," Mac said.
"We could, like, do one together!" Lauren suggested.
"Madison, you should think about doing a humanitarian trip," Dick said with a grin. "Learn what real poverty is like!"
"I've been to Skid Row. I know what poverty is like," Madison said defensively. All the adults at the time looked at her and then laughed. She glared. "Why are you laughing? Skid Row has a lot of poor people!"
Mac just grinned. Madison was totally clueless sometimes. Lauren got up to use the bathroom while Cecilia came in to clear the dinner plates away.
"I hope you all have room for dessert," Marilyn said. "We have angel food cake with strawberries." She knew it was one of Mac's favorites.
"I always have room for dessert!" Dick exclaimed eagerly.
A few minutes later, Lauren came back in as dessert was being passed around. She looked happy.
"So what's put that smile on your face?" Mac asked with interest.
Lauren gave her a shy smile. "I got a call from Scott, a boy in choir with me. He asked me out," Lauren said.
"I thought you liked Brad," Mac said.
Lauren shrugged. "I do, but he doesn't see me that way," Lauren said, trying not to show how much that bothered her. "He also doesn't want to date seriously in high school."
"Why not?" Mac asked.
"His parents were high school sweethearts, and he thinks it's lame to be tied to the same person your whole life," Lauren explained.
"He doesn't want the happy marriage his parents have?" Mac asked in surprise.
"He does. Just ten years or so from now," Lauren said.
"So where are you going to go?" Mac asked.
"I think he said to the movies," Lauren said. "He's a nice guy, and he has an amazing voice."
"Good for you!" Mac said. She was so glad that Lauren wasn't going to stay at home pining over some 09er that wasn't smart enough to appreciate her.
******The Beach House******
Trina had cooked dinner for Veronica and Logan. Since she only knew how to cook spaghetti, that's what she'd cook. However, it was a good recipe, and they all enjoyed themselves. Logan convinced Trina to give Richie a taste of the sauce. They had a good time laughing at his expressions.
"Let's walk Rover," Logan suggested after they'd cleaned up the kitchen. It had become a nightly ritual. Sometimes, they made it just as the sun was setting. At others times, the moon and the light from the back porch illuminated their walk. Tonight, the sun was just starting to set, so it'd be another twenty minutes or so before the dark set in.
Veronica smiled and agreed since she loved their new ritual. Logan put the leash on Rover, who was jumping excitedly and yapping. He already knew what the leash meant and was excited.
Logan held out his hand for Veronica, and together they walked hand in hand down the beach behind their house.
"I never really understood how much I was missing not living by the ocean," Veronica mused.
Logan grinned. "I knew I'd make a worshiper out of you eventually!" he said.
"Well, I don't think I'll ever see it as my church the way Dick does," she said dryly. "But it is one of God's great inventions. And I love the smell." She took a deep breath, breathing in the salt air.
Logan gave her a pleased look and then looked at Rover, who found a bug to chase. His antics always entertained. "I totally love having a dog," he told Veronica. "He's the best gift idea I've ever had!"
Veronica laughed. "Very true. I love him, too," she said. "I miss Back Up, so I wanted one. It just never occurred to me to get one."
"I'm glad it's something we can have together. Then he's ours," Logan said. He released her hand and put his arm around her shoulder to hold her close. "Shall we release the kraken?"
Veronica laughed and bent down to let Rover off his leash. Since it was deserted, there wasn't much trouble he could get into. They enjoyed watching him try to chase the seagulls and run into the waves. He, too, was turning into an ocean lover.
Logan loved his life with Veronica. It was everything he ever wanted. One day they'd have a child or two, making their life complete. Until that moment, he was content to just enjoy every minute they had together. Nights like this one were too perfect.
"You know, Weevil told me that they're not getting anywhere in the investigation," Veronica shared.
Logan shook his head slightly. It inevitable that she'd ruin the perfect moment with talk of murder and death. Some things never changed. He gave her a fond look of resignation. "Let's hope they get somewhere before another person dies," he said.
"You think the killer isn't done?" Veronica asked.
"Do you?" Logan inquired.
She shook her head. "I think he's just getting started," she said grimly.
******Across town******
The killer watched the girl go into the grocery store. So far the police couldn't find a connection between the first two kills because they didn't know he was the connection. There wasn't anything random about the women he chose. They were selected for a reason. The killer felt no regret. They got what was coming to them.
He used his slim Jim to unlock the car. He knew this store well. There would be no bag boys helping his next victim to the car. It was late and very few were at the store. No one saw him get into the back of the car. He unscrewed the interior dome light. The excitement of the moment sped up his pulse. The thrill of possible discovery made him hard. As he crouched in the backseat and waited in anticipation, he couldn't help thinking that this was so much better than any synthetic high.
Twenty minutes later, his gamble paid off when he heard the trunk pop. Groceries were loaded in the back. He crouched low, hugging the floor, his weapon ready. A minute later, the driver side door opened. The woman got in. She seemed oblivious to the darkness. When she put her key in the ignition, he put the gun to her temple.
"If you want to live, you will do exactly what I say," he said in a controlled, clear voice.
The woman gasped and looked in the rearview mirror. The guy was wearing a hat, but she knew the face. "It's you!" she exclaimed in terror.
"Yep, it is," he said with glee. "Now start the car and do exactly what I say unless you want a bullet to your brain." The bullet was inevitable, but she didn't need to know that. Offering her false hope would make her death all the sweeter.
******To Be Continued******
I hope you enjoyed the chapter that was heavy MaDi. Thanks for reading!