"Kevin!" Zoey's dazed shuffle gave way to slow steps. "They don't love you like I love you."
Kevin gripped their grips back firmly. "Is us enough?"
"Yes!" Kami said.
"Hell yes!" Kaley said.
Kevin almost jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
The three Rileys released their hand grips and moved to let the tall redhead get a look at Zoey who still walked slowly with the rod held high in striking position.
Erin retreated from the step she took to the door to get a better look and turned her head to give Kevin a look.
Kevin noticed Erin's look before he noticed the looks of his sisters. There it was. A golden opportunity handed to them on a silver platter. It was much more than that to him. It was a conversation without words that he clearly comprehended. Finally! He felt like the brief locking of eyes briefed him fully on what would happen and why it would happen. He was elated that type of intimate communication was happening to him. It was no surprise to him it happened with his sisters. Who else knew him that intimately?
Kaley and Kami adjusted their positions to flank Erin as Kevin got in position behind her.
The running shoves of the Rileys propelled the redheaded beauty fairly far into the hallway.
Erin had to run several steps to keep her balance and keep from falling.
The Rileys watched the steps from the two women moving in different directions closing the gap enough to make a difference.
It was Kaley who gave Zoey the extra mental push just in case she needed it, but she kept the volume of the taunt down, just in case, "Erin was the reason Kevin couldn't make love to you Zoey."
"Yeah, look at her and look at you, and can you blame him?" Kami added.
Kevin enjoyed that because they enjoyed that, but he knew it was time. He let his sisters watch a few moments of pleading and cowering before the first blow was struck. He heard another blow to the head as the door swung shut. He heard the yelling after that and knew the next blows would be matched to words.
Kaley started to run to the left, but Kevin reached and grabbed her wrist.
Kevin pointed. "The other girls ran that way."
Kami pointed in the other direction. "Erin ran that way." A quick angry look shaded her white skin red. "Before she came back for Kevin."
Kaley looked at the direction Erin ran before she ran back. She gave Kevin a questioning look. "The right way?"
****
After he nodded, they ran to the corner of the building. Kevin pointed to the parking lot. "That way."
Kami smiled as she ran and changed direction with them. "Of course, we ran to the parking lot. That's why we didn't show up inside."
"With the other girls," Kaley said.
Kevin heard the breaths of his sisters in cadence with his. He heard the rhythmic sounds of their running steps in the parking lot. He watched Kaley unlock the car. He went along when Kaley pulled, and Kami pushed, so he ended up in between them in the back seat.
Kaley shook her head and said the last words that echoed in her head. "Other girls." She leaned and kissed Kevin on the lips.
Kami followed Kaley's kiss with her own lean and kiss on Kevin's lips. She lingered until he opened his eyes. "No other girls." She sat back in her seat and took his hand.
Kaley took Kevin's other hand. "No other girls."
Kevin took that in for a moment before he tightened the grip in both hands. "No other guys."
They all said the word at the same time in the same tone, "One!"
The moment following that was a moment of pure peace for the young man who wasn't often at peace with himself or his life.
The next moments were moments of superhuman strength for that young man.
He saw the familiar face of his first love whose face was reddened with anger and the blood that spattered from the lecherous man and beautiful woman she killed.
The moment after the shared look between the young lovers who shared more killing than loving, was marked by swift motions as she cocked the rod back and swung it at the window while he grabbed his pretty sister, flung her on the lap of his smart sister, and covered both sisters with his body to protect them from the blows to come.
The sound of shattering glass was followed by the sound of the car door creaking open. Those sounds were followed by a soft and sweet voice that was scarier than you would expect, "She's gone and I'm back."
After hearing the word 'back' from her, he braced himself for blows to his back and knew without thinking he would take every hit she gave to protect the women he'd always loved and always would love.
The sound of footsteps running marked the next moments.
The time after that was the time it took for several police officers to convince Zoey to drop the weapon and let them take her into custody.
Kevin felt he played his part of walking around in a circle while he mumbled repetitively and slapped his chest well. Almost as well as his sisters played the parts of hysterical young girls.
They were careful not to make eye contact during that time they were surrounded by the authorities.
They finally got the chance for quick looks at each other as they followed the extra officers who arrived on the scene later.
Their looks said everything.
Kevin was proud he felt he read everything there was to read into the looks. He thought of what his Dad said about the Rileys. What his mother says about the Rileys. He hoped they were the winning Rileys. He couldn't stand to lose his sisters. That was because they were the loving Rileys. He guessed he'd already suspected how deep that loving ran. It was nice to know for sure. There was one thing else he knew for sure. They were something else. The killing Rileys.
****
Fourteen-years after the first kills, Kevin, Kaley, and Kami still wore their formal clothes from the banquet for his big award, as they stood with Kate and Frank in the big kitchen of another Holden Hills home that was next door to the infamous Zelman home. Kevin held two fingers to his forehead and got the attention of the others. "I predict my pretty mother is so predictable—" It didn't take a feeling person to feel the warmth of the happiness in that spacious kitchen. Kevin looked very dashing as he strode in his tuxedo to the microwave. "She'd know I couldn't stomach that bland banquet food and she'd make me something more pleasing to my stomach." He opened the door and pulled out the warm plate of comfort food. He bent over and smelled the savory smells.
"Frank and beans—" Kaley turned and leaned against the kitchen island in her long, black formal gown. It was predicted her beauty would grow as she matured, and it had. Of course, her intellect had grown as expected, giving her a perfect mix of mind and body that made it as hard to keep your eyes off of her as it was to win an argument against her.
"Mac & cheese—" Kami leaned a similar lean, but her gown was flashier and sexier. She too had fulfilled the prediction. Sure, she was as iconically beautiful as she was aesthetically desirable, but you couldn't help seeing the sharp intelligence etched into the soft skin of her face that nature had so artistically sculpted.
Kevin carried the low-rent dinner to the island in the middle of the high-end kitchen and sat it down before he sat down on a stool. He thought of the nice first-class meal he turned down on the plane ride there. He thought of how he bet his sisters his mother would have his comfort meal prepared for him when he got home, and how neither one would take that bet. It was a predictable treat from his predictable mother who treated him well. He'd learned to be less predictable in life. That was a good lesson. It opened him up to new adventures. The spontaneity kept him ready to seize any fresh opportunity. Less routine was a good lesson, but there was something to be said for being predictable. It wasn't hard to predict the comfort he knew he'd feel when he took his first bite of his favorite comfort meal.
Kami and Kaley pulled stools over and bookended him on each side.
Three preteen children appeared holding hands in the arched opening to the kitchen.
&nb
sp; Kevin looked up first and spoke their names from oldest to youngest as he loved to do, "Karey, Kali, Kenden."
The oldest at almost thirteen, Karey, had a smart grin on her smart face, "Real Dad and pretend Moms."
It took the very beautiful twelve-year-old girl, Kali, a moment of hard thinking that showed on her soft face, but she came up with something witty, "Real Mom and Aunt and Uncle who feel like real parents." She looked at Kaley.
Kaley gave Kali a wink before she turned to Kami.
Kami gave Kali a wink.
Kenden saw no humor as the men chuckled and the women laughed or giggled. He pointed as he spoke in a rapid voice with a flat tone devoid of emotion, "Kevin had Karey. Kaley had Kali. Kami had me." He shook his head like he couldn't wrap it around why the others said nonsensical things that made no sense like that. "You can't game the bloodline." The hint of a grin put a rare touch of emotion on the very handsome, but very odd young man. "You can't con the consanguinity of our heredity."
Everyone laughed hard before Kami smiled proudly. "No, you can't, Son."
"We have to run to the Zelman house to get changed for the opera," Karey said.
"Better run fast before your Dad or Mom or Uncle or Aunt grab you to make up for the missed hugs this week." Kevin flashed his brows and that made him flash Taylor's face in his mind for a second.
The kids laughed as they turned and ran out.
Kevin forked beans and noodles and a slice of hot dog. He saw his sisters watching and smiling.
"Why do you insist on still calling your home the 'Zelman house' Kevin?" Kate shook her head. "The kids call it that too."
"I think it's a tribute to you Mom." Kaley smiled sweetly when Kate looked at her. "In spite of how raw you were after Dad died—"
"You kept the family together—" Kami said.
"Got your act together—" Kaley said without a pause.
"And got your first death-house listed and sold," Kevin finished.
The three close siblings didn't seem to notice the shared thought flowed as fluidly as if it was voiced with one voice.
Kate shook her head, but she smiled the lovely smile of a lovely mature woman.
Kevin looked up from his comfort food dining as Frank chuckled. "Spill it Frank-Dad." He liked calling him that because of how much he liked it.
Frank had to laugh at being called on that before he stepped and leaned on the other side of the large kitchen island counter from the three siblings. "It's just the three of you had the three of them. And their personalities are so identical to yours."
Kate leaned on the island alongside Frank. "We laugh about it all the time because it's so obvious."
Kevin took side glances at his sisters. He knew they'd discussed it among themselves. Many times. He knew they were probably just giving their mother and stepfather looks to have some fun with them. He looked back across the counter.
"Kevin had Karey, but Karey is a little Kaley," Kate said.
Kaley turned and gave the feigned look to respond to Kami's giggle.
Frank pointed at Kaley. "The oldest daughter had our middle grandchild, Kali—"
"Who's the spitting image of my middle child, Kami." Kate pointed for that.
"I'll buy the spitting image." Kevin shrugged. "But, I've never seen either of them spit." He voiced that thought because he knew they all knew his mind could still get stuck on taking something literal every now and then.
"And my sweet boy, Kenden—" Kami rested her head on one of Kevin's broad shoulders.
Kaley rested her head on Kevin's other broad shoulder and picked it up where her sister intentionally left it for her to finish, "Is the Mini-Me of our nationally acclaimed Wonder Boy."
Kevin put his arms around his sisters.
"I better go get my fancy clothes on for the opera." Frank looked at the three. "I'd gladly give up my ticket for a Mom, Dad, Aunt, or Uncle."
"We already bought seats you sweet, sweet man —" Kaley pointed out the window that overlooked the patio and yard where they lured and killed Irving Zelman fourteen years earlier. "At our backyard poker table."
Frank smiled a broad smile before he turned and walked out with a spring in his step.
Kate leaned across the island and patted Kevin's hand. "How's everything going with your 'woman' Kevin?"
"Don't answer Brother," Kaley said.
"Yeah, Mom creeps on you on social media, so who the hell knows what she knows." Kami arched a brow to add to her shrewd look.
Kevin sighed. He was tired of the ruse. He was ready for some truth. "Not the one, Mom." He looked at his sisters and didn't bother trying to read the looks they gave him. He turned and gave his mother an honest look. "I'm tired of dating. Tired of hunting. Tired of following that elusive dream of trying to find the right one." He pointed at the doorway the kids left from. "I have a great kid. I have great sisters who share their kids with me. I have a stepfather who knows he'll never fill the shoes of Dad, but he's still a great Dad." He saw the first tears rolling down his mother's face and felt his sisters clinging and sniffling from their emotions in the emotional moment. "I have the greatest Mom an odd guy like me could ever hope to have." He squeezed his sisters tighter and pulled them even closer to him. "I have it all. Why would I look for someone who might mess it all up?"
Kate pulled in a breath as if she was going to argue with that, but she let it out and let her smile grow. "Have a good night."
The three watched their beloved mother walk out of the room.
The oldest one put her hand down.
The others piled their hands on.
They all said something they hadn't said for years, because it went without saying and they felt it so deeply and truly, "One!"
****
A little later, the three Rileys sat playing cards at a table on the patio of the Zelman home they bought many years earlier. There was none of the card talk you would expect from a card game because Kevin liked to do all of the game communication nonverbally. It was something that helped him hone his nonverbal communication skills. His smart and beautiful sisters were fine with that. They were all about helping him.
They'd changed out of the formal wear they wore to his award banquet and looked pretty comfortable in their comfort clothes.
Kevin smiled a nostalgic smile before he spoke. "Thirteen days until the first of our three turning thirteen over thirteen months."
Kami smiled the same nostalgic smile as she drew a card. "I guess we should mark the coming of age teenage milestone with a big blow-out for our first-born." She snickered as she thought of how that would go over.
Kaley took a card out of her hand and put it in the discard pile. "You know our smarty-pants Karey will denounce our bourgeois birthday bash and taunt us terribly for any theme." She smiled as she pictured that. Like she would enjoy that much more than she was letting on. "The girl who loves to hate birthdays and hates it when there's not enough to hate on her love-hate date."
"Well said." Kevin looked at his big sister. "But, everything you say is well said." He gave Kaley a look of pure adoration. "You have that writer's touch, and it's such a nice touch."
Kaley winked at Kevin for that.
Kevin picked up the hand Kami tossed at him like a seasoned card dealer. He looked his hand over and muttered under his breath. "Er ... Or ... Ist ... Er, or, ist—" He looked up and saw them looking at him strangely. He didn't blame them. That was odder than the usual odd thoughts that spilled out of his odd brain when he was occupied with something or preoccupied thinking on something.
Kami leaned on the table. "This is gonna be good."
Kaley leaned on the table and nodded at her sister.
"A job that ends in an 'ist' like mine, isn't as cool as jobs ending with an 'er' or an 'or' like yours." Kevin looked at Kaley. "From lawyer to writer." He looked at Kami. "From reporter to actor."
Kami shrugged. "Your fist gig, venture capitalist, was pretty damn cool—"
Kaley gave Kevin an especially
proud look. "It had a lot of adventure that made us a lot of capital."
"Uh, yeah." Kami was so great at acting, she made that sound like a typical spoiled teen girl. "Enough capital to take care of us, our children, and their children."
"No, shit!" Kaley did a good impression of a sassy smart teen. "Kate Riley's third child made enough bank to bankroll his grandchildren's grandchildren."
He let himself savor the proud looks before he cut it off before it was too much. "Speaking of our three children who turn thirteen in thirteen months." He saw them put on their mother faces. That was one of the many faces he loved on the women he loved so much. "Next month the asset protection trusts I set up are vested." He went back to his cards.
Kami explained to Kaley. "Remember, he said that would shield their trust money from any lawsuits against us."
"Right—" Kaley nodded. "That way, if someone comes after us for a breach of contract or something—"
"Or a wrongful death lawsuit—" Kami said.
"Our three sweet Rileys are set for life," Kaley said.
Kevin felt their eyes on him admiring him more for that. He put down his winning hand and knew it won when they tossed their cards down.
Kaley picked the discussion up again, "I think our cool man had cool jobs. From venture capitalist, to mergers and—" She grinned. "Merger and acquisitionist—" She enjoyed the giggle and chuckle that brought. "To economist."
Kevin smiled to show his appreciation for the effort. "Still not cool."
Kaley caught Kevin's eye and raised a brow in the sophisticated manner she knew he liked. "Ass-kicking, nation-saving—"
"Good-looking, sister-loving—" Kami looked at Kaley to coordinate.
"Economist!" The sisters said in perfect unison.
Kevin grinned. "A little cooler."
Kevin's gaze rested on Kami and he hoped it was showing pride. "All the plans we planned. You had one of the best. If not the best."
Kaley nodded as she looked proudly at Kami. "What comes out of that pretty head is pretty damn smart."
Kami put a palm up. "Guy's you know I'm a praise-whore, but let this whore know what you're praising about, please?"
The Killing Rileys- First Love, First Kills Page 18