by Dan Padavona
Chelsey scrunched her brow and stared at the screen as Thomas sat against the headboard. He set a hand on her shoulder.
“Everything all right?”
“It’s Kane Grove PD. I wonder why they’re calling.”
CHAPTER THREE
October 30th
9:30 p.m.
Raven drew up her knees and nuzzled against Darren’s stubbly cheek. They cuddled on the couch inside the state park ranger’s cabin, a fire crackling in the woodstove and pumping soothing heat through the cozy home. Blessed with the physique of a fitness model, the ebony-skinned private investigator lay her head on Darren’s chest and closed her eyes, relaxing as his chest rose and fell like gentle waves. At forty-two, Darren was seventeen years older than Raven. They’d become a couple over the summer after a flirtatious conversation. She smiled, remembering the barbecue Darren arranged with Thomas Shepherd. She couldn’t imagine life without the ranger.
The tourism season ended after Labor Day. Once the chilly weather set in, cabin reservations dried up. Except for a handful of hikers on sunny afternoons, the recreation enthusiasts had abandoned the state park. Having all those acres of forest and trails to share with Darren sent an excited jolt through Raven’s body. This was paradise, and it was all theirs.
He played with her beaded hair. It pleased her he liked the new hairstyle.
“What are you thinking?” he asked.
“How happy I am. I love this place.”
“You could move in, you know? There isn’t much room, but it’s comfortable.”
She stretched and yawned.
“I wish.”
“So why don’t you?”
“Someone has to care for Mom.”
Her mother, Serena, had overdosed on heroin last spring. Had LeVar and Thomas not saved Serena, Raven wouldn’t have a mother anymore. Though Serena had thrown her daughter out of their apartment when Raven turned eighteen, they’d fostered a new relationship. The sober Serena was a loving, thoughtful woman. But addiction was forever, and Raven wasn’t comfortable letting Serena out of her sight.
Darren wrapped his arms around her shoulders.
“One of these days, you need to take the training wheels off.”
“She’s not ready.”
“Is that what you really believe, or is it just your fear talking?”
Raven blew out a breath and tapped her cobalt nails against the armrest.
“It’s just that she’s doing so well. I don’t want to risk losing her.”
“I get it. But you shouldn’t have to bear the burden alone. Let LeVar stay with your mother a few nights. Or she can hang out with Naomi Mourning. Aren’t those two thick as thieves these days?”
Raven chuckled.
“Once those two commandeer a kitchen, you might as well get out of the way. They’re like a force of nature when they’re baking.” Raven crossed her legs at the ankles and propped her feet on the opposite arm rest. The fire popped inside the stove. No matter how cold the night became, it couldn’t reach them here. “What are you doing for Halloween?”
Darren paused and tilted his head.
“Haven’t decided yet. Once the hikers vacate the trails, I’m free for the evening. It’s not like any trick-or-treaters come to the state park.”
“True. What are winters like in this cabin?”
“Why? Are you taking me up on my offer to move in?”
“Just curious.”
Darren pondered the question.
“It’s peaceful. We don’t get more than a few cabin rentals per month, and the weather cuts the hiking traffic in half. But the road into the park is the last one the village plows. So once you’re here, plan and staying a few days when there’s a storm.”
“I bet it’s peaceful, all cut off from the village.”
“Yeah, it is. Wake up after a heavy snowfall, and there’s this endless blanket of white leading into the forest. A deer or rabbit will cross through now and then. Otherwise, it’s quiet enough to write a novel. You’d love it.”
“I’m sure I would. What about cabin fever?”
“I don’t have any Jack Torrance in me. Besides, I prefer the quiet. That’s why I left the Syracuse PD and took the ranger position.”
Raven patted his chest.
“Why don’t we order a pizza after work tomorrow, start another fire, and watch movies until we fall asleep.”
“Sounds perfect. What about Mom?”
“I’m taking your advice. LeVar can watch my mother tomorrow night.”
Anticipation flickered in Raven’s chest. She deserved a night alone with Darren. She hadn’t felt this secure in weeks. Three months ago, Damian Ramos and his partner, Mark Benson, kidnapped Raven. Raven had investigated Ramos after his fiance became concerned the boy toy was after her money. While she was at the gym where Ramos exercised, Benson attacked Raven in the locker room and held her captive in a farmhouse outside Wolf Lake. They’d also abducted Ellie Fisher, a woman Ramos flirted with at the gym. Benson and Ramos placed a ransom on Fisher, hoping to make enough money to clear their debts and escape the country. Since the kidnapping, Raven couldn’t stop worrying the prison would release Benson and Ramos on a technicality. For the first time since summer, Raven wasn’t looking over her shoulder or panicking every time she was alone.
But confidence was skin deep. Slice through the epidermis, and you found where the fear hid. Break through the bone—pure terror.
“All right. So we’ll make a night of it.” Darren rubbed his hands together. “I’ve never spent the night with anyone in the cabin.”
“There’s a first for everything.”
She pressed her lips against his before Scout’s voice came over the radio. Raven sighed and rolled out of Darren’s arms.
“You know, I’m starting to question why we gave Scout her own radio,” Darren said, groaning as he rose off the couch.
After Harmon Kings gang members broke into LeVar’s house over the summer, Raven had purchased security cameras to cover Thomas Shepherd’s backyard, and radios so she could stay in touch with LeVar, Darren, and Scout. Raven picked the radio off the counter.
“What’s going on, Scout?”
“This is going to sound crazy. But I’m pretty sure I just listened to a murder on a podcast.”
Raven covered her laugh. Darren rolled his eyes.
“A murder, eh?”
“Don’t laugh. It sounded real.”
“Okay. Why don’t you begin by telling us what you heard?”
Scout recounted Violet Lyon’s horror podcast and its supposedly bloody ending.
Darren winced and mouthed, “War of the Worlds.”
Raven nodded. It seemed Violet Lyon had copied the tried-and-true method of scaring unsuspecting listeners on Halloween weekend.
“It sounds like a prank, Scout. I mean, if you wanted to kill someone, wouldn’t you wait until the person was off the air? No sense alerting the police before you finish the job. This Violet Lyon girl is a horror movie freak. She’s playing out her favorite scenes. That’s all.”
“I don’t know,” Scout said, sighing. “I feel like someone should check on her. Just to be sure.”
“If you’re that worried, shouldn’t you call Thomas?”
Scout groaned.
“That wouldn’t go over well. Chelsey is with Thomas tonight.”
Raven took her thumb off the call button and laughed. She shrugged her shoulders at Darren and said, “But apparently, she’s fine calling us while we’re together.”
Darren drank from a water bottle and snickered.
Raven rubbed her eyes. She didn’t want Scout to think they weren’t taking her seriously. The teenager was a whiz at tracking people online, and she’d helped the sheriff’s department solve two murders since spring. Maybe Scout was right about Violet Lyon.
“On the off chance someone attacked Violet during her podcast, how would you track her? Violet Lyon probably isn’t her real name.”
Scout
hesitated before answering.
“She’s difficult to find.”
“So you’ve tried.”
“Not in a creepy way. More as an intellectual pursuit. Unlike most people, Violet sticks to one screen name and spreads her brand on horror movie forums. But she never posts photographs. She’s careful.”
“Do you want me to call Thomas?”
“I don’t want to send him on a wild goose chase,” said Scout, her voice dropping an octave. “Not until I’m sure.”
After Scout signed off, Raven leaned against the kitchen wall and tapped her foot. Darren looked up from a leftover roast beef sandwich.
“You’re not taking this seriously, are you?” he asked.
“Name one time Scout’s intuition failed us.”
“It’s far-fetched. I mean, come on. The podcast was a Halloween prank. Somewhere in Nightshade County, there’s a teenage girl laughing at her listeners and raking in ridiculous money.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised. Her web page is covered with advertisements.”
“Mark my words. Tomorrow, she’ll be back on the air. The prank will make her even more popular…which is scary. That girl has more listeners than the local FM station.”
Raven’s phone rang before Darren finished his thought. Recognizing Chelsey’s name on the screen, Raven answered.
“I take it Scout called Thomas,” Raven said.
“What?”
“Never mind.”
“Raven, are you with Darren?”
Raven shot Darren an uncertain look and dropped into the chair across from him.
“Yeah, he’s right here. Is something wrong?”
Chelsey blew out a breath.
“Kane Grove PD called. There’s no reason to panic, and chances are he’s not even in the country anymore.”
A chill crawled down Raven’s neck.
“Who are you talking about, Chelsey?”
“Mark Benson escaped prison.”
CHAPTER FOUR
October 31st
12:05 a.m.
Moonlight poured over the dusty road. Wisps of mist snaked through the bordering field, like ghosts rising for a midnight dance. Derek Jordan buttoned his jean jacket, swept the black hair off his forehead, and threw his arm around Valerie Leonard to keep her warm. The blonde leaned her head against his shoulder as they strolled down the lonely road.
“I can’t believe you pulled it off,” he said, kissing her forehead.
“Did you see the numbers? The counter went over three-thousand during the Halloween Man skit.”
“You nailed it.”
“Not without your help. I’m your boyfriend now, Violet,” Valerie said, mimicking Derek’s baritone. “So classic.”
“Do you think everyone will get the Freddy Krueger reference?”
She pulled away from Derek and twisted her face.
“Seriously? They’d better. If they don’t, they aren’t real horror fans and shouldn’t listen to my show.”
“It’s amazing that so many people fell for the joke. Who would believe a psychopath in a pumpkin mask butchered you during a podcast? There’s a sucker born every minute.”
“I told you, it’s all in the buildup. Just like a horror movie, you take your time building the suspense until you nail the audience. And the payoff scene has to rock. That’s why I spent so many episodes talking about the Halloween Man and creating his background. We’re making bank on advertising. It’s all about the monetization, yo.”
Their sneakers scuffed the dirt and gravel road with the silent night blanketing them. Each breath puffed tiny condensation clouds. Valerie was a genius. Yes, she had a gorgeous body and a flawless complexion. But the girl’s work ethic and ingenuity attracted Derek more than her sex appeal. That didn’t stop him from wanting to press his lips against hers and sneak his hands inside her jacket. Valerie was the bad girl, the ultimate risk taker. Two hours ago, after her parents returned from the restaurant, Valerie sneaked out her bedroom window and rendezvoused with Derek outside the old train yards. He didn’t need to sneak out. His mother didn’t give a shit if he stayed out all night. Nor did she praise him when he earned A’s on his report card. The guy masquerading as his dad was too caught up in his career. Mom just complained about the guy never being home. It was as if Derek had died years ago, and now his phantom floated through the house, never seen or heard.
Valerie glanced up at him with mischievous eyes.
“Guess what? It’s after midnight. You know what that means.”
“That we’re supposed to wake up for school in six hours,” he said, stifling a yawn.
“It’s officially Halloween. The coolest day of the year.”
“You’re in your element tonight.”
“Duh.” Valerie stuffed her hands into her pockets and stared at the endless sky. “Now I need to plan my next show. Everyone will tune in Halloween night to see if it was all a gag, or if I’m really a goner.”
“Take a night off and make them squirm.”
She bobbed her head.
“I like that idea. Except I can’t resist breaking the truth. The question is, how do I handle the show? If I laugh it up too much, people might think I took advantage of them.” She removed her hands from her pockets and swatted his arm. “Hey, what if the next podcast takes place inside the hospital? We can play sound effects in the background and make it sound like we’re broadcasting from the emergency room. I’ll be hanging on by a thread, just strong enough to warn my listeners that the Halloween Man is loose in Barton Falls.”
“Nah. You’re laying it on too thick. Just end the charade.”
Valerie huffed.
“Yeah, you’re right. Best to come clean and admit I scammed everyone. But I need to make it good. They’ll expect even more from me next Halloween.”
He stopped and grabbed her shoulders, turning Valerie to face him.
“Hey.”
“What?”
“You’re beautiful in the moonlight.”
“Like a vampire?”
“Like the hottest girl in Barton Falls.”
She rolled her eyes and kicked at the dirt.
“Stop.”
He kissed her warm lips and waited to see how she’d react. A moment later, she grabbed the back of his head and pushed his mouth against hers. Their chests merged as her tongue flicked past his lips and met his. After they finished, he held her gaze.
“I’ve been thinking about this for a while,” he said, bouncing on his toes to fight off the chill. “Maybe it’s time we took our relationship to the next level.”
“Oh, we’re a couple now?”
His heart skipped. They’d never discussed going steady, but they’d grown closer this fall, as if winter’s approach was a ticking clock urging them to commit before time expired.
“Yes, we are.”
She kissed him again.
“What do you mean by next level?”
“My parents are driving to the Cape next weekend. I’ll have the house to myself.”
When she didn’t respond, his shoulders fell. Had he misread her intentions?
“Then it’s a date,” she said, breaking the ice.
“Really?”
She tutted and grabbed his hand, pulling him down the road. He wondered where she was taking him. A craggy wall of forest grew out of the horizon. Train tracks paralleled the road beyond the meadow.
“We should get back,” he said, glancing over his shoulder.
“You’re the one who always brags his parents don’t care when he comes home.”
“Yeah, but I have a chemistry exam in the afternoon. I’d better put in an hour of study before I crash.”
Standing in the center of the road, she folded her arms.
“If you have to. I guess I’ll go home too. My literature paper is due tomorrow morning.”
“Don’t want to disappoint Mr. Pierpoint.”
A shiver rolled down her back.
“He’s so creepy. I swear
the guy follows me around school.”
“Mr. Pierpoint is a good guy, not a creeper. He seems to like me, anyway.”
“That’s because you’re the teacher’s pet.”
“No way.”
“You kinda are.” She glanced out at the meadow when something scurried through the tall grass. “I suppose we should call it a night before the ghouls rise. Walk with me to Spruce Street?”
“You got it.”
Derek didn’t want to say goodbye. In his dreams, tomorrow wasn’t a school day, and he could spend the night with Valerie, just the two of them against the night. They held hands as they walked, the hint of a smile quirking her lips. Spruce Street arrived quicker than he’d hoped. They kissed again, this one lingering as the fog curled around their ankles. Then he watched her travel down Spruce and cut through her driveway. Satisfied she’d made it to her house, Derek hopped the curb. The way home took him past the railroad tracks again. Like an ancient road to nowhere, the tracks glowed amid the thickening mist. He pulled his jacket together, aware of how cold it had become. Home was two miles away.
His phone buzzed as a text arrived. Leland.
Besides Valerie, Gardner Raimi and Leland Trivett were Derek’s closest friends. Derek grinned at the message. Leland had listened to Valerie’s show.
Awesome skit, jackass. You’re no Freddy. Want to spend the night? I got a package from Harmon.
Which meant he’d scored weed. Leland bought from a guy who ran with a gang in Harmon. The Royals. One of these days, Leland would get them all killed.
Leland’s house was a half-mile past the railroad tracks. Derek could be there in five minutes if he hustled. His teeth chattered. Suddenly, getting high and bumming a ride with Leland tomorrow morning sounded like a reasonable plan. He messaged his mother to let her know he was staying with Leland. Not that she’d care. Then he started down the unlit road, the cold crawling inside his coat and raising goosebumps on his skin.