by B. B. Hamel
“I think you’re right,” Rose said suddenly, looking up, her eyes hard. “He’s going to lash out. He’s getting frustrated.”
“Yes, yes, he is.” Head looked at her for a long moment. “Tell me, what do you think his next move is going to be?”
She chewed a nail for a moment. “I think he’ll make contact again. I don’t know how. Note, maybe, or maybe he’ll show up on Nick’s stream. But he’ll make contact, and he’ll make us do… something.”
Head looked surprised. “That was my thought exactly.”
“The question is, what will he make us do,” I said. “I agree he wants control back, and I think that means he’ll force us to go on the move, chasing after ghosts.”
“Possibly,” Head said, nodding then. “I’ve learned, through so many of these investigations, that you can’t predict exactly what they’ll do. The profiles are like averages. You’ll get close, but the killers always do something surprising. Be prepared for that.” He slipped from the booth and stood.
I looked up at him. “You’re going already?”
“Back to the office,” he said. “Duty calls. Thank you both for coming. I believe I learned a lot.”
He began back toward the front door. I followed him out, leaving Rose alone inside.
“You were going to shut us down, weren’t you?”
Head turned back to me, eyes narrowed. “You shouldn’t have brought her into this. Cal was right.”
I clenched my jaw. “What made you change your mind?”
“She did. She’s dedicated and she’s clearly smart. I believe she understands the stakes here.”
“I keep trying to tell you both that.”
“Cal’s not the best at reading people. Be careful, Nick. I can tell you care about her, and that’s not such a bad thing, but be careful.”
He nodded once then walked off. He got into a boring silver sedan and pulled out onto the road.
I stood until he was out of sight, then went back into the diner.
Rose had the laptop on the table in front of her. She stared down at it, fingers moving along its closed plastic frame. I walked over and sat next to her again, my hand on her thigh.
She leaned her head on my shoulder.
“Let’s eat,” she said. “Then go back.”
“Sounds good to me.” I kissed her hair. “Head likes you.”
“Good. A serial killer hunter likes me. I’m not sure how to feel about that.”
“Feel proud. He’s not an easy man to impress.” I picked up the laptop and put it down on the seat again. “When we get back, I guess I have to learn how to play videogames.”
She smiled sadly. “I guess you do.”
I flagged down the waitress and we ate, talking about light things, easy things, skirting around the topic I knew she was thinking about—just like I was thinking about it, endlessly and intensely.
20
Rose
For the next few days, Nick played with the laptop.
I avoided him when he was on stream. Something about the CGK seeing me on camera made my skin crawl. I couldn’t make myself be near it, even if I wasn’t going to be in frame.
Nick took it the way he seemed to take to anything: with wild, reckless abandon. He learned the game, read about it when he wasn’t playing, and ran around in his virtual world collecting resources, crafting items, and building a base. He didn’t try to talk to me about it, and I didn’t try to ask him much.
Mostly, I sat on the porch and read books, staring at the grass as it slowly returned to its wild state again.
It took three days to hear from CGK again.
Nick was buried in the laptop. I could tell it put a strain on him, like playing a videogame all day was a full-time, physically exhausting job. He said his chat had more and more people joining in, but none of them seemed interested in him at all—instead, they mocked him for being so bad at the game, and mainly talked to each other.
I walked down into the kitchen one morning after a particularly late-night gaming session. Nick was still sleep on his mattress at the foot of my bed. I wished he’d come beneath my sheets every night, but he said he didn’t want to wake me when he came in late, and I believed him.
Still, I was cold, and lonely, and angry.
The note was tacked to the refrigerator. I almost overlooked it, except it was written in what looked like red crayon. I screamed and stepped backwards, bumping into the table, and screamed again.
Nick appeared in the doorway, wide awake, gun in his hands. “What?” he said, clearing the room. He marched to the back door, peering out. “What happened?”
I pointed at the note, not speaking, my mouth hanging open.
He walked to it and let out a frustrated snarl. He put the gun down and read. “Lovelies, it’s been so, so much fun, but I grow tired of this game. It is time to give me what I want, and you must do that, or else more will die. Boys in the woods? Girls in the lake? Any and all. There is a town called New Hope. Go there, or else I will build my harem again. Go there now. I Hope to see you soon. Love, your lover.”
“Fuck,” I whispered. “He was in here again.”
“We have to go,” he said.
“Wait, what?”
He tossed the paper down on the table. “We’re going to New Hope.”
“You’re joking. This is a wild goose chase. He’s not out there.”
“You said it yourself during our meeting with Head.” He started making coffee. “CGK wants to shake things up. This is it, right now.”
“But we’re going somewhere completely new. What about Starch? And the other police?”
“Starch is still in the hospital,” he said. “And the rest of them can go to hell. We’ll keep her updated.”
I chewed on my nails then tapped my tooth. I hated this, hated how anxious it made me. I didn’t know what the right move was, and it seemed like I was walking on a tightrope above the Niagara Falls. One wrong step, one bad breeze—
“He’ll try to kill us out there,” I said softly, staring at the floor. “I think this is his end game. He wants to separate us from Starch. Either that, or he’ll try to finish her off.”
“She’s surrounded by cops, so that won’t happen.”
“Then he’s going to come for us.” I looked up at him and he shrugged slightly, like it was inconsequential.
“That’s what we want, isn’t it? Force a showdown. Catch him in the act.” He hit the start button and the coffee maker gurgled. “It’s not too late to turn back.”
I let out a harsh laugh. “I think it is, though.”
“Probably.” He walked to me, studying my face, and stopped inches away. “But if you want to go, I’ll help you get out. I wouldn’t blame you.”
I put my hands on his chest then looked up at his lips. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“Good.” He put his hands on my hips. “I was hoping you’d say that.” Then he kissed me.
I lingered in that kiss and felt all of my emotions intensify—my fear of CGK, my desire for Nick, my insecurity, my anger, all of it. His kiss turned me into a lightning rod, like everything was turned up to the maximum. I loved it and was worried I’d get too addicted, fall too deep into him.
“Let’s get packed,” he said. “Who knows, maybe it’ll be fun?”
“Or we’ll get murdered.”
“That too.” He left me alone in the kitchen with the note sitting like a slug on the table, disgusting and menacing.
I filled a bag with enough clothes for a few days and we headed out. New Hope wasn’t too far—it was a cute, small town built on the edge of the Delaware River, right next to New Jersey. Its main street was littered with small cafes, restaurants, a playhouse, and old, well-maintained houses. Nick took us through the middle of town then pulled down a gravel driveway and parked out in front of a large Victorian home with a grand archway.
“Where are we?” I asked, peering out the front windshield.
“Bed and breakfast,
” he said. “Found it online.”
“Why are we staying here?”
“I figured we might as well enjoy ourselves.”
He carried our bags up the front steps. The porch was decorated with wicker furniture. Inside was warm and inviting, with lots of light from large, high windows. There was a Colonial American theme going on, and aside from a few creepy cornhusk dolls, it was well maintained and actually kind of nice.
The owner was a slim woman in her sixties with a deep tan and an easy smile. “Hiya, folks,” she said. “You must be… Nick and Rose?”
“That’s right,” Nick said.
“I’m Judy. Come this way.” She led us into a common room and stood behind an old computer. “Staying for how long?”
“Not sure,” Nick said. “A few nights, I think.”
She winked at him. “Going wherever the river takes you. That’s my favorite kind of guest. I’m going to give you a rules rundown, you ready?”
“Give it to me.”
“No smoking, no loud music, no making a fuss. Otherwise, whatever’s available is for you. Extra towels on request, and since you two are the only guests here right now, go nuts with them if you want, everyone seems to love towels. There’s a small breakfast, just continental style. I serve lunch at request for a fee, and dinner’s included. There are also lots of places to eat in town and I’ve got recommendations if you want them.” She peered at him for a moment. “You got all that?”
“I got it all, Judy.”
“Lovely.” She smiled, clearly charmed by him. We finished the check-in process, which involved more rules, and a few innocuous stories about past guests, before she finally dropped us off at our room. “Enjoy your stay.”
She disappeared, the door clicking shut behind her. The room had a large bed, a bathroom attached, and a very small sitting space. The walls were covered in early American money in pretty frames, and a thick rug covered the original hardwood floors.
“Not bad,” Nick said, sitting on the bed. “Judy’s a little…” He waggled his eyebrows.
“She’s into you.” I checked out the bathroom. It must’ve been updated in the last few years. Clean tiles, modern fixtures. “Lucky guy.”
“Judy’s not my type.”
“I’m jealous.” I leaned up against the bathroom doorframe and watched him. “Should I worry about her sneaking in here?”
He sighed and stretched. “Probably not. I bet you’ve got to worry more about someone else sneaking in.”
I looked down at the floor, my good mood slipping away. “Right. I almost forgot why we were here.”
“Ah, shit,” he said, standing up. “I’m sorry, Rose. I didn’t mean to—”
“It’s fine. I shouldn’t start thinking we’re on some vacation, right? This is work.”
“It’s work,” he said softly. “But it can be a vacation too, if you want it to be.”
I looked around and pointed at a small love seat shoved up against the wall. “That’s where you’re sleeping.”
“Yeah, I don’t think so.”
“Keep it up, and it will be.”
He grinned, stretched again, and let out a breath. “Okay, we’re here,” he said softly, staring at the ceiling. “Now what the fuck do we do?”
As if on cue, his phone began to ring.
He took it out of his pocket and stared. The number had the local area code, but it wasn’t in his contacts.
“Answer it,” I said, my voice almost a whisper.
He accepted the call and hit the speaker button. “Yes?”
“Hiya, sorry to bother already.” It was Judy’s voice. I collapsed onto the couch with a groan. Nick looked visibly relieved.
“No bother,” he said. “Did we forget something?”
“No, actually, I’ve got a note for you down here. Found it mixed in with my mail.”
He looked at me and I sat up straight. “A note?”
“Strangest thing. No address, just an envelope with your name on it. Really odd. Did you expect something?”
“Yes,” he said. “Ah, yes, that’s right, I’ll come get it.”
“I’ll bring it up, you sit tight and get settled.”
She killed the call.
I stood and paced across the room. “He followed us here already.”
“Yes, he did.”
“We’ve been inside for, what, a half hour?”
“He must’ve snuck in while she brought us upstairs.” Nick laughed, almost disbelieving. “He’s insane. I mean, really, he’s insane.”
“Terrifying. He must be outside, right now. I bet if we went out there—”
He shook his head. “Not yet.”
There was a knock at the door. I jumped a little and he held up a hand. He walked over and answered it.
“Mail!” Judy said, singing. “Here you are. Hope you two are okay.”
“Great, thank you.” Nick shut the door somewhat abruptly and walked over to the bed again. He ripped open the plain white envelope and took out the folded piece of paper inside.
I read over his shoulder. The handwriting was familiar by now. Lovelies, thank you for coming, oh, I knew you would. There’s something I want you to see, out in the woods. Follow the path along the canal and cross at that old stinky wood bridge over there. Go into the woods, follow the path!! Turn right at the pile of tires, walk straight, straight, straight, and you’re there. Please, oh, please, come visit. Love, me.
Nick looked over his shoulder and handed me the paper. I read it again before dropping it on the bed and rubbing my eyes. “He’s playing a game. This is a game to him.”
“I know,” he said softly. “But what else can we do?”
“We have to go.”
“Tomorrow. Right now, we need to get settled.”
“But he might—”
“Tomorrow,” he said, his tone firm. “If we rush out there before getting the lay of things around here, we might end up dead.”
“You’re right.” I stared at the paper, my heart thudding fast. “I want to know where this is going. I want to understand what he needs from us.”
“I want to end this game.” He turned his back to me and I saw the tension almost ripple along his muscles. I stepped toward him, but stopped, not sure what I could do to help.
We lingered in that silence for a long moment until I sat back down and closed my eyes.
He joined me on the couch. He put his arm around my shoulders, and I leaned up against him. I felt better—strangely at peace, even though we had a killer outside the house, dictating our every move. It was like a game of chess, but I was the pawn, and someone desperately wanted to sacrifice me.
But with Nick so close, his body big and strong, I felt some glimmer of hope, however small and dim.
21
Rose
Judy wasn’t kidding about the towels. The next morning, she had at least ten piled up on the floor next to the door with a note: figured you might want a few.
I took them inside and dumped them onto the bed on top of Nick. He stirred and groaned, blinking at me, then stared at the towels. “What the hell?”
“Present from Judy.”
“What time is it?”
“A little after seven. We’d better get moving.” I walked to the window and peered out. The backyard jutted up against the canal path and the brown, lazy water that drifted along. The river wasn’t far away, and I thought I could hear it rushing.
He grunted, but got up, showered, and dressed. Downstairs, Judy had a nice spread out for us in the dining room: bagels, cream cheese, toast, jam, some crackers, some breakfast cookies. Coffee and tea in the kitchen. Judy herself was nowhere to be seen.
We sat on the back porch. The grass was freshly mown. A birdbath had greenish mossy water.
“What do you think’s out there?” I asked.
“I don’t know, but he brought us here for a reason.”
“This place, in particular.” I shook my head, rocking back and forth on an
old blue chair. “I mean of all the places in the world, he wanted us to come to some small town.”
“Maybe it’s significant somehow.”
“Where have most of his kills been?”
“The Northeast,” he said, tilting his chin up and frowning slightly as he thought. “Maine. Delaware. New York. Texas. Chicago.”
“He’s been all over,” I said. “Something for work? Makes him travel?”
“That was our original theory. I’m starting to think he works freelance and doesn’t have a location requirement.”
“Something online. Writing, maybe? Editing?”
“Stock trading. Teaching. Coding. He could be almost anything.”
I clenched my jaw and stood up. “I hate this, you know? We have no power in this situation. He thinks he can just pull our strings and we jump around.”
“I know,” he said gently. “The last thing I ever want to do is let a psycho like him jerk me around. But we’re so close, I can almost taste it. Whatever we’re doing out here, it’s got to be important to him. It’s like he’s taking us on a journey.”
I walked to the end of the porch and gazed out at the canal. I had the irrational desire to run to it, stomping through the trimmed grass. I could leap over the black iron fence, scramble across the brown gravel path, and drive face-first into the water. I’d feel it on my skin—taste it on my tongue, tangy and dirty. I’d take deep gulps of it, fill my lungs—
I squeezed my eyes shut and pushed the thought away.
Nick joined me a second later. His hand lingered on my lower back. “Let’s get moving,” he said, his lips near my neck. “I’m not sure how far we have to go, and I’m not getting stuck out in the woods after dark.”
“Good idea.” I turned my head toward him and our lips met briefly. “Did you bring your gun?”
He nodded once and kissed me again. “Of course. Always.”