© 2019 Karen Ann Hopkins
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-097-85017-4 (paperback)
ISBN 13: 978-0-578-51252-5 (ebook)
Books by Karen Ann Hopkins
Serenity’s Plain Secrets
in reading order
LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER
WHISPERS FROM THE DEAD
SECRETS IN THE GRAVE
HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT
PAPER ROSES
EVIL IN MY TOWN
FORBIDDEN WAYS (a romantic companion novel)
Wings of War
in reading order
EMBERS
GAIA
TEMPEST
ETERNITY
The Temptation Novels
in reading order
TEMPTATION
BELONGING
FOREVER
DECEPTION
For you, Mom. Thanks for being my biggest fan, and the person I can turn to with my problems and my accomplishments. I love you!
Acknowledgments
Many thanks go out to Grace Bell Morris for putting her heart and soul into the edits, and to Heather Miller for her focused proofreading skills. A huge shout out to Jenny Zemanek of Seedlings Design for another amazing cover.
As always, much appreciation and love to my husband, Jay, and five children, Luke, Cole, Lily, Owen, and Cora, for all the everyday little things and support to make this crazy dream possible.
1
December 2nd
Blood Rock, Indiana
The straps of the backpack dug into Jackson Merritt’s shoulders. The discomfort was welcomed. It kept him focused as he walked through the front doors of the Blood Rock Public High School with the crowded stream of other teenagers. The hissing noise of the bus door opening disappeared behind him, swallowed by the mingling of voices, laughter, and sharp calls between students.
Jackson’s eyes shifted to the security guard standing outside the school’s office. Mr. Dodgly grimaced when Miss Forester, one of the science teachers, said something to him. The guard wasn’t paying any attention to the kids entering the building, except to pause when a few of the football players began swatting each other, stalling everyone’s forward movement.
“Get moving, Ricks, Bruins, and Binotti,” Mr. Dodgly shouted, gesturing them onward.
A couple of the athletes waved back at the security guard, yelling out greetings. The crowd parted around the noisy group, mostly ignoring them, except for a couple of girls who hooted encouragement to the smaller player who was still scuffling with Bruins.
Jackson jerked his head, licking his lips and forcing away the frown from his face. It was the same every day. The teenagers of Blood Rock High School were incredibly predictable. The same kids, doing the same things—every day. Mr. Dodgly, the teachers, and the office personnel lived in a delusional world, where the worst thing they imagined might happen on any given day was a hallway fight or drugs turning up in a locker. Most of the adults only paid attention to the pretty girls, star players, and brainy kids. Jackson didn’t fit into any of those categories, so he slipped under the radar. His grades were okay, he wasn’t on a team, and with his average height and plain face, he didn’t stand out in any particular way.
Principle Evergreen poked her head out from her office door. Their eyes briefly met. Her quick gaze passed right over Jackson without any recognition. She disappeared again and Jackson exhaled. He hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath.
When he raised his head, the black hands on the wall clock jumped out at him with booming sharpness. Seven forty-five. He swallowed hard as his heart banged against his rib cage.
So far it had been easy. Way too easy, he thought.
The first bell rang and everyone surged forward. A freshman girl bumped into him. She was wearing glasses and her hair was pulled up in a ponytail.
“Sorry!” she chirped, flashing him a smile before she turned away.
Jackson’s eyes widened. Within a minute the hallway would be empty. His head swiveled and he scanned the crowd.
Even though the students were hustling to get to their homerooms, they appeared to be moving in slow motion to Jackson. His heart throbbed into his throat. Sweat broke out on his forehead, and at the nape of his neck, just beneath his scruffy, sandy colored hair.
A boy planted a kiss on his girlfriend’s lips before she entered a classroom. Three more girls huddled outside the bathroom. The football players finally caught up and jogged by, creating a path that others followed.
It was that moment when Jackson found who he was looking for. The scene in the hallway blurred. He unzipped and dropped his backpack in a single motion. His hands closed around the cool aluminum, and with a deft movement, he slid the pin that connected the upper receiver and barrel to the stock.
When Jackson raised the AR-15, his vision cleared and he began shooting.
2
SERENITY
I tugged the material up over my breasts, sucking in my breath.
“Dammit. It’s squishing my boobs,” I growled.
“Do you need help?” CJ’s voice was perky, and I did my best to force a smile on my face. At least she was enjoying herself.
I nudged the door open and she slipped into the large mint green dressing room.
“Oh, it’s beautiful,” she gushed. “Once I get you zipped up, you’ll see what I mean.”
“But it’s too tight,” I complained.
She worked the zipper up and spun me around. As I stared at my reflection, she rambled on.
“It has a built-in corset, Serenity. It’s supposed to feel snug. That dress gives you a figure like a Grecian statue.”
“That’s a good thing?” I stared hard at my reflection in the mirror. The ivory material was delicately laced around the bodice, exposing the cleavage that the corset created. Folds of material flared out, falling to the floor around me like something a princess in a faraway kingdom would wear. “I look ridiculous.”
“It’s very fashionable and it’s perfect on your slim figure,” CJ replied. Her head tilted as she eyed me up and down. Her voice had lost its excitement when she went on to say, “Well, maybe it isn’t you after all. The most important thing about a wedding dress is that you feel beautiful in it.”
“And comfortable,” I added. My eyes drifted back to the gown hanging on the peg. It was a short-sleeved sheath dress I’d tried on earlier. It was detailed with just the right amount of lace, and it didn’t have a torture contraption inside it to make my boobs two cup sizes larger. I was trim and fit—I needed to be for my job. My entire wardrobe was all about freedom of movement so I could chase, and hopefully catch the bad guys. “How do you know so much about wedding dresses anyway?” I dared to lift my eyes in her direction.
CJ shrugged, and her brown curls bounced on her shoulders when she chuckled. “I’ve been a bridesmaid in eight weddings.” My jaw dropped as she counted on her fingers, whispering to herself. “This makes nine all together.”
“That’s incredible. I haven’t had nine girlfriends in my entire lifetime,” I puffed the words out as I tried to cover the awe in my voice.
She laughed. “The funny thing is I don’t even speak to any of those girls anymore.” She pursed her lips, becoming thoughtful. “They just wanted large wedding parties, and I was always available.”
I gripped CJ’s arm, giving her a little shake. “You’re one of the nicest women I know. I’m sure when those brides-to-be asked you to be in their weddings, they did it because you’re fun, kind, and responsible. They knew you’d actually show up and
do everything you were supposed to do.” The melancholy look had settled on her face, and her green eyes had become dull. I quickly added, “They knew you’d make their wedding party pictures prettier.” I squeezed her shoulders before dropping my hands.
A polite smile was fixated on her face. “If you say so… It’s just that as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized how most of the people I used to think I was so close to, I really wasn’t. When I broke up with Ryan, none of those friends even contacted me to see how I was doing. To make matters even worse, since their new hubbies were buddies with my ex, they simply moved onto friendships with his new girlfriend, forgetting about me all together.” One of her brows rose. “You know how cops are.”
I managed a wavering smile, searching my memories for something I could say. Todd Roftin, my first deputy, had annoyed me since middle school, but when we became partners, we became family. And that meant that his wife, Heather, became my friend, too.
“As you get older your friend group is supposed to get smaller, I think,” I offered. I couldn’t really recall having such a domestic conversation in a long time. Being Blood Rock’s Sheriff meant I was usually too busy investigating crimes to give much thought to normal things. I was a bit out of my element here, but I could see that CJ needed something more from me, or she wouldn’t have brought up the whole friends-not-being-friends subject. “I can count on two hands the people I trust in this world—and you’re among that elite group, CJ. Quality is far better than quantity if you ask me.”
CJ smiled. “Friendship to you is about loyalty, isn’t it?”
“Of course. If someone doesn’t have your back, what good are they?”
“Are you sure Daniel has your back?” CJ asked. Her tone was not accusatory, just curious.
I pictured my fiancé. He was tall, muscled, and gorgeous. His wavy dark brown hair was unruly and his brown eyes were always dark with passion. He was serious and laidback at the same time. He was the best lover I had ever had, and he always had my back. But he used to be Amish, and that one thing had kept me from committing to him for a while. He thought differently than I did about a lot of things—like faith and forgiveness. He saw the good in people. Whereas I usually saw the bad, and for good reason. In my line of work, I spent too much time dealing with the darker side of human nature. I’d seen true evil up close and personal. I was definitely jaded from my experiences.
“Do you all need some help in there? I’d be happy to pull some more dresses from the sales floor for you,” the saleslady said with a cheerful voice outside the door.
“No, we’re finishing up here,” I called out and then met CJ’s questioning gaze. “I’m not really worried about Daniel. I’m the one with the issues in our relationship.” I leaned back against the wall. “I don’t know if I have what it takes to be a regular wife—”
“Regular?” CJ interrupted.
“You know, make dinner, clean the house, that sort of stuff.”
“But you already live together, so he must have low expectations for those things.” She grinned.
I drew in a deep breath. “I don’t think I want kids, CJ.”
She leaned back. “Haven’t you talked to him about that subject yet?”
I scrunched up my face. “Yes, I’ve said as much to him, but Daniel is an optimist. He probably believes I’ll change my mind eventually.”
“He wants children?”
“Sure. He’s ex-Amish. Having kids comes naturally in the culture he grew up in. Hell, if he doesn’t have at least four or five, he’ll be out of his element.” I shook my head, trying to imagine myself being the mother of even one child, much less a whole passel.
“Just because he was Amish doesn’t mean he wants to have a ton on kids. Look at Joshua. He only has three kids.” CJ sounded weary.
I crossed my arms, hardening my expression. “How is Joshua Miller?” I asked, changing the uncomfortable subject.
“The same as far as I know. I haven’t seen him since I moved into the apartment a month ago. I still don’t know what I’m going to do, either.”
The creases at the corner of her eyes deepened and her eyes glistened. I felt like crap. “Sorry, it’s none of my business. I shouldn’t have asked.”
“No, I understand.” She cleared her throat. “We’ve been friends for a while, Serenity, but you also saved my life. I’ll never forget how you rescued me from Caleb—” She shuddered.
I wagged a finger at her. “Let’s not reminisce about that night. This is supposed to be a happy day.”
Her head bobbed up and down. “I’m sorry! You’re right. No more Debbie-downer.” She snatched the slim, short sleeved gown from the peg. “So is this the one?”
I gazed at the dress again. I loved the simplicity of it, yet the small amount of lace and the delicate nature of the material made it pretty. “I wish Laura could have made it today.” I chewed my bottom lip, thinking about my sister and her marital problems. The fact that she and her husband were at a counseling session was beyond disturbing. I hadn’t even known they were having problems until recently.
“This one really is you, Serenity,” CJ said softly. I met her gaze. We were both in the same boat—feeling a little out of sorts and lonely lately.
I took the dress from her and draped it over my arm. “I’m not a gown type of gal, but if I have to wear one, this dress feels the best.”
The shadow of sadness disappeared from CJ’s face. “Yes!” She scrolled something on a piece of paper and held it up. I said yes to the dress.
“I guess I did.” I returned the gown to the peg. “Unzip this thing so I can breathe again,” I ordered.
I turned, and just as CJ’s fingers reached the zipper, my buzzer went off at the same time that my phone rang. My chest tightened like it always did when a call came in simultaneously on both devices. It usually meant big trouble.
CJ grabbed my tote bag and handed it to me. My cellphone lit up again, vibrating, and it was joined by the blaring sound of the emergency tone from CJ’s phone. She pulled her phone from her pocket and gasped.
“What the hell”—I scanned the emergency alert—“oh my God. There’s an active shooter at the high school.”
3
Taylor
Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop…
My ears were ringing and my legs turned to jelly. Everyone began running and screaming. Crystal dropped. A second earlier she’d been walking alongside me, babbling about her annoying weekend spent at her father’s. Dillon went down ahead of me. I had to jump to avoid stepping on what was left of his bloodied head.
Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop.
Tessa screamed, falling to the floor.
Someone smashed into my back and I stumbled forward. Before I could catch my balance, someone else shoved me aside and I slammed into a locker.
Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop.
Ms. Fletcher was on the floor. The front of her blouse was torn and covered with blood. She clutched little Jimmy Cramer in her arms. His head lolled to the side and his dead eyes stared.
Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop.
Someone wailed, another yelped.
Mr. Dodgly or maybe another teacher shouted orders, “Run! Get up! Move.”
I had been unconsciously counting in my numb mind. Thirty rounds. He’s out.
I didn’t look back. My neck was stiff and my heart pounded so hard I thought it would explode into my throat. I couldn’t say anything. My throat burned.
Move, I ordered myself. My legs came to life and I stepped around Ms. Fletcher, who wasn’t moving at all.
Snap. Snap. Schick…
The little sounds behind me were familiar. They roared in my head and made my skin crawl. I never liked guns, but my aunt was the sheriff in town. Going to the shooting range was Aunt Reni’s idea of bonding time with her teenage niece.
<
br /> A science classroom was ahead on the left. I stretched out my legs and ran. The bodies became fuzzy as I dodged them, jagging right and then left.
I had almost reached the doorway when a hand rose up and swiped at my leg. Shivering with shock, I squatted and grabbed for my friend Lindsey. The blonde hair on the side of her head was a bloody mess. She whimpered, “Help me.”
“We have to go.” I tugged her limp body up. “Move, Lindsey! Get up!”
Lindsey wrapped her arm around mine, and I hoisted her upwards with strength that wasn’t my own.
Her muffled cries were in my ear as we hobbled to the door that was now closed. My hand gripped the handle and turned, but it didn’t move. I banged my fist into the wood.
“Let us in! He’s reloading. Please—we’ll die!”
I chanced a glance over my shoulder. There were bodies everywhere. Some were piled together, others were alone, contorted in unnatural positions. But it was the shooter who had my attention.
My stomach reeled as recognition lit my mind. Jackson Merritt. His dispassionate, shark eyes met mine and fear screamed in my head.
Jackson raised the rifle. A sickening smirk twisted his lips.
“Please, please open the door,” I begged. Lindsey slumped into me, her body rocking with gasps.
Pop.
The doorframe next to my head splintered. I recoiled and found myself falling backward with Lindsey. Hands came from out of nowhere. My shoulders were roughly grabbed and I was dragged across the threshold.
The door slammed shut. Pop. The next round hit the door with an explosion, but it didn’t penetrate the wood.
“Come on. We have to get out of here,” a voice urged.
I blinked. The classroom was empty. Backpacks and books were thrown about on the tables and desks. A boy disappeared through a doorway at the back of the room. He was moving so fast I wasn’t sure who it was, but the person whose hands pulled me to my feet I did know. Hunter Pollard.
Evil in My Town Page 1