Death by the River (A St. Benedict Novel Book 1)
Page 1
By the Multi-Award-Winning Duo
Alexandrea Weis with Lucas Astor
Blackwell, The Prequel (A Magnus Blackwell Novel, Book 1)
Damned (A Magnus Blackwell Novel, Book 2)
Bound (A Magnus Blackwell Novel, Book 3)
Seize (A Magnus Blackwell Novel, Book 4)
By Alexandrea Weis
Realm
Forthcoming from Vesuvian Books
By Alexandrea Weis
The Secret Brokers
By Alexandrea Weis with Lucas Astor
A River of Secrets (A St. Benedict Novel, Book 2)
The Chimera Effect
4 for the Devil
Death by the River
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2018 Alexandrea Weis and Lucas Astor
All rights reserved.
Cover design by Michael Canales
Photograph by Carolina Heza
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without written permission from the publisher, except where permitted by law.
ISBN: 978-1-944109-15-8
Published by Vesuvian Books
www.vesuvianbooks.com
Awards and Praise for Death by the River
Awards
Winner/Gold: Young Adult Fiction
2019 International Book Awards
Winner/Gold: Social Issues
2019 Readers’ Favorite Book Awards
Winner/Gold: Young Adult Fiction Horror/Mystery
2019 Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards
Distinguished Favorites/Silver: New Adult
2019 New York City Big Book Award
Winner/Bronze: Mystery/Thriller/Suspense/Horror
2019 Feathered Quill Book Awards
Top 5 Finalist: Mystery/Thriller
2019 Kindle Book Awards from Kindle Book Review (Amazon)
Finalist: Young Adult Fiction
2019 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award
Finalist: Young Adult Fiction
2018 Best Book Awards
Praise
“Rare is the story that simmers and rises to a boil so naturally and constantly that the reader manages to be repeatedly shocked ... a full-speed rollercoaster that doesn’t slow down until the final page. Employing an evocative setting, powerfully defined characters, and taking a long hard look at the darker side of human desire, you will catch your breath and hold it until the very end.” ~US REVIEW
“… sends a reminder not only of Ted Bundy, but also the reality that psychopaths still exist.” ~Feathered Quill Book Award Judges
“While the authors have written a chilling story here, there’s more to Death by the River than thrills. It’s actually a fascinating study into the effects of good and bad parenting on children. Do it badly and parents, children and society as a whole pay the consequences. This book is not just an exciting read; it’s a sobering one.” ~Viga Boland, Retired high school teacher and author of No Tears for my Father
“Death by the River has most of the hallmarks of a YA story including jealousy; mean girls; cliques; rich vs poor; semi-oblivious parents ensconced in their own personal hells, as well as a high-school population terrorized by repeated abuse from one of their own. The premise is dark and powerful in its’ presentation as the frenzy and hysteria begin to unfold. Weis and Astor pull the readers into a haunting nightmare of a psychotic mind … a startling, energetic and dramatic look at a psychopath in action.” ~The Reading Cafe
“Inspired by true events, Death by the River is the kind of skin-crawling, queasy-feeling-in-the-pit-of-your-stomach story that needs to be told and demands to be read.” ~Seven Jane, bestselling author
“Dark secrets and disturbed minds. A brilliant mystery thriller.” ~Isabel Rivera
“... a chilling horror tale ... darkly, painfully engaging.” ~IndieReader
“… a marvelously pulse-pounding, edge-of-your-seat dark adventure that is sure to delight, shock, and eviscerate your world. In one fell swoop, you find yourself ensnared in the clutches of a burgeoning evil that is only just beginning to breathe and spread its wings. Nothing can prepare you for the ultimate thrill ride that you will find within these pages.” ~Amber, Goodreads
“Every now and then comes a novel that rises above storytelling for mere entertainment and acts as a critical commentary of social mores. It’s both disturbing and fascinating to see into the mind of a psychopath as he manipulates, schemes, and effortlessly switches between personas. This is one that will stay with me long afterwards. When a book gets under my skin like this one did, then I know it’s top notch. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys true crime, suspense, and psychological thrillers.” ~Merry Bones, blogger
“A super dark, twisted, psychological obsession of a read! I was consumed by the writing almost as much as the monster was power-hungry for control. Which is really saying something. But this book doesn’t just follow dark themes; it also contains horror elements that make you wonder if you should leave the lights on. This is a perfectly unique story that I highly recommend. The two sides to the story show a good versus evil, rich versus poor, love versus infatuation perspective while making your heart pound with emotion. You won’t stop reading until this ride is over.” Kat, Treestand Book Reviews
“Weis and Astor did such a great job of portraying seniors in high school. I often find that teens portrayed in books do not seem authentic and tend to act much older than teenagers. I am so glad that is not the case here. Leslie, Dawn, Beau and the rest of the characters all act their age. But Weis and Astor did not go easy, they show every last sordid and evil deed done by Beau and it is downright horrifying. Death by the River is a gripping and shocking thriller that will have you biting your nails as you hang on to every glorious word written. It is an intensely terrifying thriller that will keep you up late at night unable to put it down. Absolutely terrific!” ~Sinfully Wicked Book Reviews
“Told from different points of view, it is written in the way where I knew when it was the loving boyfriend, the realist, the victim, and the monster. The writing gets right into the minds of the teenagers: The angst of fitting in, of playing a role with the weight of popularity, whilst adding darkness, ghost stories, and murders … an intoxicating read.” Zoé-lee O’farrell, Zooloosbookdiary.co.uk
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
/>
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Epilogue
A Note from Alexandrea Weis
About the Authors
To the unheard victims who trusted the “boy next door.”
Chapter One
Beau Devereaux stared at the clock, watching the minutes tick by. The only noise in the stuffy classroom was the monotonous, raspy voice of his teacher. Like a thoroughbred chomping at the bit, he waited to bolt.
The jarring bell couldn’t have come soon enough. Not even taking time to put his book in his bag, Beau headed for the door. He turned a corner on his way to the gym and spotted a familiar dirty-blonde messy ponytail.
“Leslie.” Beau cornered her in the hall, pinning her between a break in the lockers. “How’s it going?”
Her blue eyes ripped into him—just what he expected. “What do you want, Beau?”
What did he want? He almost laughed. He drank in her flawless, porcelain complexion, the regal curve of her jaw, her small, perfectly shaped nose, and enticing full lips. His attention settled on the notch at the base of her neck. It fluttered like a scared little butterfly.
“Can’t a guy say hello to his friend?” Beau put his arm on the wall behind her, trapping her between the lockers. “We see each other in the halls but never speak. Why is that?”
He loved watching her eyes dart about, searching for a rescue, but no one would challenge him. No one ever did.
“I’m not your friend.” She shoved him back. “Go talk to Dawn.”
He curled his hands into fists. If he couldn’t have Leslie, her twin sister, Dawn, was the next best thing. He’d started dating her to get his mind off Leslie, but it hadn’t worked. They were alike physically, but Dawn wasn’t Leslie. She didn’t have her sass. That he still wanted Leslie infuriated him. He always got what he wanted.
Beau leaned in, letting his breath tease her cheek. The scent of her skin, like fresh spring clover, filled his nose.
“One day, I'm going to take you to The Abbey and set things right between us.”
“Is there a problem?”
The deep voice tinged with pseudo-macho angst buzzed in his ear like a gnat. Beau turned around, knowing who he would find—her trusty watchdog, Derek Foster. The brown-haired son of a waitress, Derek spent way too many hours studying with the geek patrol and not enough partying with the popular crowd.
“No problem, Foster,” Beau said in a reassuring tone. “Your girl and I were just talking about next week’s biology test.”
Leslie edged around him. “Do you even know how to spell biology?”
He bristled at the question. That smart tongue of hers begged to be tamed.
A few students gathered next to the set of lockers to his right, taking in the encounter.
Beau gave his best wholesome grin. “That’s really hostile, Leslie. I’m trying here, for your sister’s sake.”
Derek was about to pull her away when Beau wheeled around, stuck out his elbow, and landed a perfect shot right to Derek’s cheek.
He stumbled back, bouncing off some freshman girls.
“Derek!” Leslie went to his side, pushing Beau out of the way.
Holding in his satisfaction, Beau displayed a fretful frown as he rushed up to Derek. “Oh, man. I am so sorry.” He put a hand on his shoulder, avidly checking the red spot on his right cheek and suppressing a smug grin. “That was my fault, Derek. I didn’t see you there.”
Leslie shot him an icy glare. “You’re an ass, Beau.”
He gave her his best wide-eyed expression, reveling in her reaction. “I’m sorry, Leslie. It was an accident. I didn’t mean to hit him.” Beau spoke loud enough for onlookers to hear. “Stop making me out to be the bad guy here. I know you dislike me, but can you give this attitude of yours a break?”
Derek took Leslie’s hand. “I’m fine. It was an accident. Let it go.”
Beau smiled sweetly at her. “You should listen to your boyfriend.”
“What’s going on here?”
Ms. Greenbriar’s screeching voice made all three of them spin around. The middle-aged principal of St. Benedict High stood with her hands on her hips.
“Mr. Devereaux?”
Beau presented the principal with one of his winning smiles. “Nothing, ma’am. Just a misunderstanding. I caught Derek with my elbow when I turned around. My fault entirely.”
Ms. Greenbriar shifted her beady brown eyes to Derek. “Mr. Foster, anything you want to add?”
Derek nursed his cheek. “No, ma’am. It was an accident, just like Beau said.”
She tapped her high-heel on the tile floor, glancing from Beau to Derek. “My office, Mr. Devereaux.”
Beau backed away from the lockers as his stomach tightened with anger. “Yes, ma’am.”
* * *
“That bastard!”
Leslie bolted out of the wood and glass double doors to St. Benedict High School, tugging Derek behind her. The strong October sun shone down, highlighting the red mark covering Derek’s right cheek and sending a sharp pain through her chest.
Damn Beau Devereaux.
For almost a year she’d tolerated his comments and lewd glances, but since she’d started dating Derek, he’d stepped up his game.
“I can’t believe he punched you like that.”
Derek wrapped his arm around her waist and ushered her down the stone steps to the school parking lot. “He didn’t punch me. It was an accident.”
She halted and stared at him numb with disbelief. “You don’t buy his bullshit, do you?”
“No, but what am I going to do about it? Punch him back?” Derek urged her along. “Then I would be the one in Greenbriar’s office, not him.”
She searched the parking lot while students on the grassy quad outside the school entrance sat on benches, tossed footballs, studied their laptops, or listened to music.
“Does anyone in this town stand up to him?” Leslie shook her head. “He’s got everyone believing he’s Mr. Perfect and I’m the crazy bitch.”
Derek slipped the book bag off her shoulder to carry it. “No one thinks you’re crazy, least of all me.”
The simple gentlemanly gesture melted her heart. Leslie touched Derek’s dimpled chin, feeling fortunate. “Maybe we should go have you checked out. Just in case.”
“It’s just a bruise. I’ll be fine.” He stopped on the sidewalk at the bottom of the steps. “What did he say to you, anyway?”
“The usual.”
A car turned on a monster bass, blasting the park-like setting with hard rock.
Derek glanced at the source of the noise. “I still don’t get how the guy can be crazy about your twin sister and not like you at all.”
Leslie removed the band holding her ponytail. “Sometimes I think she went out with him to spite me.” She ran her hand through her shoulder-length hair.
“What makes you say such a thing?”
She shrugged and fell in step beside him. “We aren’t exactly the closest of sisters. It was always a competition between us when we were younger. I joined the swim team, and then Dawn joined. Dawn wanted to join Brownies, so did I. Except I gave up competing with her when we got into high school.” She gazed down at the neatly trimmed grass beneath her feet. “Dawn never stopped. Sometimes I think that’s why she became a cheerleader and started seeing Beau—to show me she could.”
Derek put a protective arm around her shoulders. “I can’t see her dating Devereaux to get back at you. He’s the richest and most popular guy in town. Isn’t he every girl’s dream?”
Leslie stopped short, shuddering. “Not mine. There’s something off about him.”
“He’s just a guy used to getting his way. My guess, it comes from two hundred years of inbreeding. Don’t all those old, rich Southern families marry thei
r cousins? Maybe that’s his problem. Too many crazy relatives in his family tree.”
A brisk wind stirred as they crossed the blacktop to the white Honda Accord she shared with her sister. The chill wrapped around her, seeping into her bones. She wasn’t sure if it was a change in weather coming, or something else.
Derek nudged her. “Hey, you okay?”
She came out of her daze, shaking off the bizarre feeling. “Just really sick of dealing with Beau.”
Derek smiled at her from across the roof of the car and her heart skipped a beat.
“I know what we could do. Want to sneak up to The Abbey? I could show you around. It’s pretty cool.”
She didn’t like the idea of crawling around the derelict abbey. She’d never been to the abandoned St. Francis Seminary on the banks of the Bogue Falaya River but had heard stories from friends.
“I don’t want to go there. We should get you home and see to your cheek.” She hit the remote on her key chain and unlocked the doors.
“Stop worrying. I’m fine.” He climbed into the car, brandishing a wicked grin. “We can skip The Abbey tour and hang out at the river.”
She put her book bag in the back seat. “I have no interest in going to the river. I’ve told you that before.”
“No. You told me you used to go there but stopped around the time we met.”
Leslie wanted to jump all over him for pursuing the subject, but she didn’t. Her life had been empty before she’d met Derek. They had shared classes for almost a year before getting the courage to talk.