The Rileys kept quiet and let the guests open the conversation.
The man looked up at the expanse of the living room that was open for three floors up to the ceiling. He nodded his approval.
The wife was a beautiful woman who seemed to appreciate the beauty of the home. She looked at the three teenagers. "I like what I see so far." She looked to her daughter. "What do you think, Zoey?"
"It's okay, Mother." Zoey pointed her finger with black polish on the fingernail. "Does the cute boy who looks uncomfortable in the suit come with it?"
"Everything's negotiable," Kaley said.
That got all of them laughing. Even Kevin.
The family made their way further into the home, past the dining room, toward the kitchen.
The Rileys followed them and stayed back a bit.
"Taylor, you have to admit—" The woman stroked her hand on the custom counter top of the large island in the middle of the spacious kitchen. "Best kitchen yet."
"It's been remodeled, Beth." Taylor looked up at the trim with the look of a man who appreciated the fine details of a fine home from living in fine homes all of his life. "I'm still on the fence over building something new."
Kevin stepped forward and looked at a spot between the wealthy couple. "The lot is 2.66 acres. There's a one-acre minimum, so you could sell one acre and still have a big lot to build on. Subdividing brings the land value up to fifty-two percent of the listing price. Holden Hills lots appreciate almost nine-percent a year, conservatively. Buy this house. Live in it for five years. Tear it down and build. Sell the other lot for profit."
Taylor stepped forward slowly as if he didn't want to scare the young man away. "How much profit?"
Kevin looked down at the floor. "At the listing price, in five years, one-million, one hundred-thousand." He looked up and put a palm up. "Approximately." He was about to look down but looked up and put both palms up. "Assuming closing costs and commissions around ten-percent."
Beth stepped to Taylor's side. "There goes your investment argument, honey."
Taylor nodded. "Then, I guess we should see the rest of the house."
Beth looked back at Zoey who lingered in the kitchen.
"Go ahead Mom." Zoey nodded her head toward Kevin. "I'm seeing how negotiable they are."
****
By the time the light laughter ended on that and the adults were well up the stairway, Kevin was agitated. Zoey took a few steps back.
Kevin was walking around almost in a circle, slapping one hand to his chest repetitively, and mumbling to himself. "Should've talked about the country club. The low average days on the market for resale. Didn't contrast and compare the comparable sales. Should've. Didn't. Should've."
Kaley and Kami got to him and got him calmed enough to stand still and be quiet, but he was fidgeting.
Kevin saw the girl who looked a little tough at first, but she looked soft as she stepped in front of him and looked into his eyes.
"What's wrong with him?" Zoey asked.
"He's autistic," Kami answered.
"I guess I knew that." Zoey gave him a compassionate look. "Does he know how handsome he is?"
"No, but we do." Kami leaned forward with a subtle intimidating look only a pretty girl could pull off that well.
Kaley spoke to soften that when she saw Zoey leaning back and succumbing to the intimidation. "He's not usually this bad, but we just lost our Dad."
It was going by so quickly it was throwing Kevin off, but not enough to keep himself from going off. "Stop talking about me like I'm not here."
Zoey had been intimidated by Kami, but she didn't wince or flinch at his outburst.
Kevin understood what set him off then. The unusual girl in front of him. For some reason he cared what she thought about him. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay," Zoey said.
"I'm not crazy." Kevin was prepared to say more in case he needed to.
"I was hoping you were." Zoey reached her hand out. "We're not thinking about moving here for Dad's business or for Mom to be closer to family."
Kevin lifted his hand and let her take it.
"We're moving because I like to steal things." Zoey checked the looks on his sisters before she looked at him. "I'm working on that."
Kevin heard his sisters taking in breaths and deduced they were about to say things to or ask questions of the young woman. He had no questions. Just an unusual feeling. He felt comfortable around her.
"Alright, my kiddos got my open house opened up for me," a voice familiar to the Rileys said.
"Mom!" Kevin understood quickly why his sisters weren't as excited to see their mother as he was.
Kate Riley stood in her pajamas and bathrobe. The manic look on her face didn't hide the face that had been crying constantly for days into weeks. She was still a very pretty woman, but that was hard to see in that moment.
Kaley was the first to get to her mother.
Kami's phone made the text sound. She looked at the text and looked to her older sister. "Someone wants to see the condo."
The voices of Zoey's parents sounded out from above.
All the Rileys stood still and stayed quiet as they tried to think it through.
Zoey stepped forward and looked at Kaley. "Take your mother home." She looked at Kami. "Go show the condo." She stepped back and hooked her arm in Kevin's. "We'll finish the showing and lock up."
Kevin looked at Zoey and smiled.
Zoey watched the sisters looking at each other and debating. She pulled out her phone and pulled up a screen. She held her phone out. "Take my contact info." She handed the phone to Kaley who reached for it. "I'll take good care of your brother."
Kevin saw some bit of reality hitting his mother's eyes and felt her eyeing him like a mother would. He was proud he read that. He pulled Zoey closer to him. "The worse thing she does is steal, Mom." He snorted as he heard the joke in his head first. "You always say I'm eating you out of house and home."
Kate laughed her melodic laugh and she almost looked like she was back to normal.
Kami stepped over and gave Zoey a firm look. "You better take care of him and get him home in one piece."
Zoey wasn't intimidated that time. "I will."
The voices of Zoey's parents came from the loft area above.
Zoey reached and took Kami's hand with her free hand. "Can he go eat with us?"
Kami turned her head and conferred with Kaley with no words before she turned back around. "Sure."
The footsteps came from the landing above.
Kaley and Kami moved Kate toward the door quickly.
Kevin felt Zoey's hand on his arm that was hooked in hers. He turned his head to her and returned the smile she gave him.
Taylor and Beth got down the stairs and smiled when they saw the young couple waiting for them in the kitchen arm in arm.
"Well, Mr. and Mrs. McConnell, you might have to buy this awesome place." Zoey turned and smiled a cute smile at Kevin before she looked back at her parents. "I already negotiated my part of the deal."
Kevin laughed along with her and her folks and felt that laughter feeling good after feeling so much bad lately.
****
The McConnell family sat in a comfortable booth in the exclusive restaurant at the posh Holden Hills country club watching Kevin finish off what they didn't finish from their meals. Kevin finished the last bite and noticed everyone looking at him. "I'm sorry, I was hungry."
"You don't have to apologize for that." Beth looked at Zoey to see if her line of questioning was alright. She continued when she saw it was. "You haven't had any good meals lately?"
Kevin looked down at his plate. "My Mom's a great cook, but she hasn't felt like cooking much." He looked at the hand Zoey put out before he held it. "She took Dad's death hard. Real hard."
The McConnells stayed quiet to let him get it out on his own time.
Kevin looked up and looked like he was apologizing. "My sisters and I are pitching in ... Until she
gets back on her feet ... That's why we did the open house."
"You did a wonderful job, honey," Beth said.
"You gave one of the best money pitches I ever heard," Taylor said.
Kevin turned from his shy look of gratitude he gave Beth to give one to Taylor. He wanted desperately to move the conversation from his father, but he blurted out the thought in his head. "You remind me of Dad, Sir." He could tell they all felt some emotion after that, but he couldn't tell what it was. "You're nice and funny. Like Dad, but successful."
The women sniffled and had runny eyes. The wealthy man turned to wipe his eyes in a concealed manner.
Kevin felt he was bombing by bumming them out. As soon as the parents looked at him, he spoke. "Can I date Zoey?"
The McConnells were all startled a little bit by that before the parents laughed and Zoey tightened her grip on his hand and moved closer to him.
Kevin was surprised her closeness didn't bother him. He was worried about the laughter that came and the answer that didn't. He realized he had to sell harder than he sold the custom home. He had to sell himself and that was really hard for him. He pulled in a breath and spoke with the speed he usually used when he was talking about one of his arcane interests that interested him so intensely, "I have high functioning—" He laughed under his breath. "What used to be high functioning autism. I have it under control now." He pursed his mouth and spoke more truthfully. "Under control, most of the time. I'm in regular school. I have good grades. Really good grades." He saw their looks and wished so hard he could read looks better. "You're not seeing me at my best. This is a hard time, but I will get better. I promise I will."
Taylor handled it because Beth was too emotional. "Of course, you can date Zoey." He pointed at her. "I'm pretty sure she would date you even if we said she couldn't."
"I would," Zoey said instantly.
Beth found her voice and her mother's intuition came along with it, "Kevin, does your family need help? Financial help?"
Kevin looked down again, as if he'd been caught doing something bad. "Yes, Ma'am, but us Rileys don't take charity." It was hard, but he made himself look at Beth and make eye contact. "And I'm dating your nice daughter for my own financial gain. My sisters can find their own rich peeps to go for."
There was a moment of stunned silence before the McConnell family laughed harder and rowdier than you'd ever expect a reserved wealthy family to laugh.
"As a matter of fact, young man—" Taylor scooted out of the booth and stood up. "You can have your first date right now." He got Beth's attention and pointed at a wealthy couple walking into the cocktail lounge.
"The Andersons." Beth slid out of the booth.
Taylor took his car keys out of his pocket and handed them to Zoey. "Be gentle, be kind, be good."
"I will, Sir," Kevin said sincerely.
"I know you will Kevin." Taylor pointed with a grin. "That was for my girl."
Once the parents left, Kevin blew out a breath. "That was so scary."
"And you were so brave." Zoey gave him a quick measured kiss on the cheek.
Kevin felt the urge to lean away from the unexpected contact, but he didn't, and he was glad he didn't.
"You know I would've asked you out Kevin ... And I'd already manipulated you into a date anyway."
"You did?" He saw her nodding. "You're the first girl ... I've ever had." His smile at her turned to a fretful worried look. "I mean ... I haven't had you ... I don't want to have you ... I guess I do, but not in that way." He looked down. "Dammit!"
Zoey put her arm around Kevin. "Relax. We have plenty of time, so take your time."
Zoey's phone rang, and she answered it. She listened for a moment.
Kevin could tell the voice on the other end was agitated. It sounded familiar too. He was too busy watching Zoey's worried face to place the voice.
"We'll be right there." Zoey ended the call and looked at Kevin. "Nothing to be worried about, but Kami said some creepy guy is at the condo and he's hanging around."
Kevin scooted out of the booth. He put his hand out as Zoey scooted.
Zoey got out of the booth but leaned over and picked up the long sharp-pointed, serrated-edged knife Kevin used on his meal.
"You think we need protection?" Kevin asked.
"No, silly." Zoey looked around before she slipped the knife in her purse. She got him into a quick walk. "The knife is a souvenir for how you cut through your fear and asked my parents for my hand."
Kevin smiled as he picked up the pace. He thought that was a strange old saying. Asking for a girl's hand. He thought the deeper thought that the phrase usually included marriage in it. Then he thought the ridiculous thought about getting a yes from the parents, but only for the girl's hand. The smile vanished when they got outside of the restaurant and he saw Zoey break into a run for the car. He ran fast and caught up with her before he passed her.
****
They pulled onto the street and stopped near the condo. Kevin looked down at his watch. "Wow!" He looked at Zoey. "That's the fastest driving I ever saw."
Zoey smiled at him before they got out of the car quickly.
They approached with a quick walk, but Kevin stopped as he looked at an old white car. He pointed. "The license plate was taken off." He turned and ran to the front door.
Zoey followed him.
Kevin tried the door, but it was locked. He raised a fist to knock.
Zoey caught his wrist before he knocked. She shook her head. "Let's try the back-door."
They raced around the house.
The sliding door slid open when he tried it.
They stood in the dark house for a moment to try and get their bearings.
"No, please don't—" Kami's voice pleaded from another room.
Kevin ran to the room.
In the master bedroom, a man in a jogging suit had Kami pinned down on the bed. Her skirt was up, and the man was holding himself up with one hand, so he could get his jogging pants down.
Kevin dove on top of the man's back and had him in a chokehold from behind. He managed to roll the man over and ended up holding him in the tight hold.
Zoey was too shocked by the quick turn of events that turned the attacker over to do anything.
Kami came out of her sobbing as she sat up. She saw the man's eyes bulging from the chokehold. She put a long thumbnail in one eye and a long fingernail in the other eye.
They man tried to scream, but he didn't have the air for it.
Zoey got her wits about her and ran around the bed. She saw the man was passed out, but Kevin wasn't easing his throat choke and Kami wasn't easing her eye gouge. "I think he's out Kevin."
"He's not out!" Kami's face grew wildly obsessive before she yelled more, "Don't let go, Brother. Don't let go."
Kevin didn't let go, but he did look at Zoey.
Zoey saw the look. She saw the man was past being unconscious and maybe on the way to being dead. She saw the wild look in Kami's eyes. She looked back at Kevin. "Don't let go, Honey."
Kevin kept the grip up as long as he could. He pushed up and slid out from under the man.
Kami let go of her grip on his eyes. She held up the thumb and the finger that had a gooey substance on them.
Zoey's eyes opened wider as she watched Kami suck the gooey substance off her thumb and finger. She shook her head to shake that vision off. She leaned over and checked the man's pulse on his wrist. She looked at Kevin who stood with his head down staring at the floor. "He's dead."
Kevin looked up at her with tears in his eyes. "And now you think I'm like some idiot. Some dangerous insane idiot who needs to be locked up."
Zoey took his hand with both of hers and shook her head vigorously. "No, I don't."
"We need to call the cops," Kami said with a little rational reality to her voice.
"No!" Zoey let go of Kevin as she turned to face Kami with her hands on her hips.
It was Kami who leaned back from their interaction this time.<
br />
"You know the bad rap people like him get." Zoey waited for Kami to nod. "Sure, it was self-defense or a justified killing. I get that. You get that. But, your brother ... My boyfriend ... Will get nothing but jail time ... And you know that."
Kami nodded. "I know that."
Zoey gave one firm look to finalize dealing with Kami. She turned to Kevin with a look that showed she was determined to get him through his feelings. "You okay?"
Kevin nodded. When she turned to look at the body, he tapped her and waited for her to turn around. "Am I really your boyfriend?"
Zoey's laughter started out in spurts, but it grew to a full-blown laugh attack.
Kami laughed along too.
Kevin laughed a little before he bent over and pulled up the edge of the fancy comforter that was under the man. "All the DNA's on this and we can use this to wrap up the body."
"Sounds like a plan, smart Brother," Kami said as she lifted up the cover from her side.
"Amen, smart Boyfriend," Zoey said.
Kevin thought how odd it was that they were all happily going about the business of wrapping up the body of the creepy man he killed in an expensive comforter, but he went with that feeling. It felt right.
****
Not much later, Kevin pulled the dead man's car into a dark spot of a parking lot. He got out of the car and scanned the buildings for security cameras before he waved Zoey over.
He opened the back door of her family's expensive luxury SUV and got in. "My first time driving solo. Not bad, right?"
"You did good brother." Kami turned and patted him from her spot in the passenger seat. She held up her hand that was shaking. "Sorry, I'm too hyped to drive."
"That's okay." Kevin patted Kami back. That was unusual. His sisters were the only women he ever patted, and the exchange was usually one pat for him to around ten pats for them. "I get enough practice in and I can get my driver's license."
Zoey caught Kevin's eye in the mirror. "What are we doing?"
Kevin pointed to a fast food burger place across the street. "Leaving a trail."
Zoey needed no more than that explanation. She put the car in gear and drove toward the drive-through of the restaurant.
The Killing Rileys- First Love, First Kills Page 2