Aaron shook his head furiously, and then his eyes widened. “Oh, God, Zack!” he cried. “I remember now. The poster!” he cried cryptically. “Damn it, Zack!”
Zack rose from his seat and moved closer to Aaron. He clutched his friend’s shoulders. “Aaron, what? Listen. Take a deep breath. What are you trying to tell us?”
Aaron met his friend’s eyes, and Zack saw abject terror in the depths of his friend’s brown eyes. “Damn it, Zack, why didn’t I remember before? That poster! My brother got one just like it at a race he went to—”
“So?” Zack interrupted. “Aaron!”
“The race was six months ago, just before my seventeenth birthday. That poster was a new, recently released edition. Don’t you get it?”
Zack shook his head.
Aaron took a deep, shoring breath, attempting to compose himself. “Don’t you see? The poster in the shed came from that particular race. The girl in the poster—her throat had been slashed! That poster had been mutilated like all the rest.”
Zack’s eyes widened as understanding hit him like a mallet upside his head. “The race was six months ago! Cleve Walker died a year ago!”
Aaron nodded ominously and John suddenly pushed back from the table. His blue eyes passed between the boys, his mouth opened in apparent shock. Kendall and Niqui remained sitting, frozen in terror, as the implication of Aaron’s discovery crashed down on them.
“Let’s go!” Zack cried, clutching Aaron’s arm and pulling him toward the exit. He turned at the threshold and called to the others. “Call 911! Send help to the cabin! Now!” He shook his head, trying to think clearly. “John, call Donner!”
Zack saw Kendall dash to a phone on the restaurant counter, while John pulled a cell phone from his pocket, checking for service. Fleetingly, Zack remembered his own cell phone didn’t work in this town, but dismissed the thought in his haste. His friends would assure help would be on the way.
The two boys charged to Zack’s truck, jumped in, and raced out of the parking lot and toward the cabin. They were unaware that John had followed them out of the restaurant and to his own truck.
As Zack drove, he turned to Aaron briefly. He shook his head morosely. “I should have figured it out sooner,” Aaron moaned. “If something happens to Holly…”
“She’s probably on her way home right now,” Zack said firmly, telling himself the words were true. She was safe. She had to be. And Aaron’s discovery didn’t prove who the killer was, just that it couldn’t have been Cleve Walker who killed the little boy Erick, if indeed Erick was that same boy. Zack told himself Erick probably wasn’t even the same boy at that stock car race… But then… what if he was?
Zack pressed the gas pedal that he’d already floored, praying for increased speed, and that he wouldn’t kill himself or Aaron attempting to navigate the twisting mountain roads. He vaguely registered a vehicle some distance behind him, but he left it in his dust.
Maybe Erick wasn’t that boy.
Zack suddenly remembered the scene at the slide where Cassie had shown them the bodies. Later, a deputy had found a toy car there. A toy car! John had said the little boy at that race had gone off to buy a couple small, collectible cars. And Aaron had found a second toy car in the box of mementos he’s found in the shed.
Zack felt a wave of fear wash over him. The killer was still out there!
Chapter Twenty-eight
Holly tossed her stuff into the back seat of David’s extended cab pickup truck and closed the door behind it. Her eyes did a distracted pass over the ski boat on the new trailer behind the truck. They wouldn’t be taking the boat out today. Holly wondered if her family would ever come back to the reservoir again, though she knew she would return—with or without them. Cassie still needed her.
If Cassie’s friends had left the lake, then the ghost girl would be all alone. Holly couldn’t bear the thought of the loneliness Cassie would likely soon experience. Yes, she would come back and visit her as often as she could manage.
Holly hoped she would come to trust her enough to divulge to her where her body was located, because someday, Cassie’s parents needed to know the whereabouts of their only daughter.
Holly wondered, would Cassie make the decision to reveal herself to them? She had made her presence known to Thomas.
What would she do under similar circumstances? Holly wondered. Would she show herself to her family and hope they didn’t run away in fear? Poor Cassie.
Holly made a quick decision to go down to the lake, in hopes of seeing her before she left. She walked to the end of the dock and her eyes did a pass over the beautiful, rugged countryside flanking the reservoir, and then lighted on the rippling water. “Cassie,” she called softly. “Are you out there?”
There was no response.
Holly sighed. She had hoped to say goodbye to her friend, but perhaps any goodbyes would have to wait until later. Holly turned to leave, but to her surprise, she crashed into her stepfather. He reached out to steady her.
“Whoa, there, Holly,” he said with a soft laugh.
“Sorry,” she said. “I didn’t hear you walk down. Are we ready to go?”
He nodded. “Yep. I’ve packed up as much as we’re allowed—just the items we brought along with us this trip. I bet you’re eager to get out of here.”
She shrugged. “I guess.”
David watched her, frowning. “You seem unhappy,” he said pensively, but roused himself. “Of course, you’re unhappy. Discovering all the children, many about your age, has to be horrifying for you.”
She nodded mutely.
He surprised her when he pulled her into an embrace. “We don’t ever have to come back to this place,” he said in her ear. “Never again. We’ll sell the cabin. Heck, we’ll level it.”
She pulled back with a tremulous smile and took a step away from him. “I…” She knew she couldn’t very well tell him she had to come back, or the reasons for her impending return. “I’m just glad it’s over,” she said finally.
David gave a humorless laugh. “I don’t think your friends will ever come back to this place. Heck of a way to finish out a summer,” he muttered wearily. “So much for the best laid plans.”
“I don’t think Daniel will ever come back,” she agreed. “The others… I don’t know.”
David watched her speculatively from an arm’s length away. “Yes. That reminds me. I overheard Daniel’s comment to you back at the cabin. What did he mean when he said, ‘At least I’m not crazy like dear, ol’ Dad’? Seems like an odd thing to say.”
Holly sighed and met his gaze. Should she divulge her friend’s secret to her stepfather? But then, she and David had shared a horrific experience, and in some odd way, she felt closer to him for it. She certainly could have thought of a more enjoyable bonding experience than watching dead bodies being taken from the reservoir, but he had been there for her during the trauma—concerned for both her and Zack’s well being. He had tried to shield her from as much of the horror as he could. He had behaved like a … father.
She met his inquiring gaze. “If I tell you, please don’t say anything…” She laughed uncertainly. “I mean, I know you won’t but…” She took a deep breath and smiled sadly. “Anyway, Daniel’s father has mental illness and he confided in us that he’s afraid it might happen to him too.”
David frowned. “Poor kid. That has to be hard on him.”
Holly nodded. “Yes. I wish he’d told us sooner. I guess he’s lived in constant fear.”
David nodded and turned toward the lake. He silently stared out across the whitecaps that had suddenly formed due to the winds picking up. Holly looked out across the water, as well, her eyes lighting on the washout across the way. She could barely make it out from here, but still recoiled when she thought about those two little bodies having been tossed there like discarded garbage.
Holly was lost to her thoughts, so when David turned toward her abruptly, she started. “Holly, how did you know those bodies w
ere over at the washout?” he asked, watching her speculatively. “How did you really know?”
She was startled by the question. “Um, it’s like we said, Zack and I were swimming and we found the first one…”
“Swimming? You mean diving?”
“Well, yes, um, Zack saw a white rock he thought was crystal and…”
David shook his head abruptly. “No. The water is too murky there. Maybe in the shallows he could have seen a rock, but beyond the shelf…” He shook his head. “No.”
Holly watched David’s face. A series of emotions crisscrossed his pleasant face. She recognized anger in his eyes and took an instinctive step back. He noticed and shook his head, blanked his features, and then smiled persuasively.
“You can tell me the truth. And you can also tell me how you knew about the bodies under the bridge.” He spread his hands wide. “Come on. You can tell me.”
“We … found a necklace…”
He shook his head again. “No.”
“But, we did. We gave it to the deputy, remember?”
Holly’s mind reeled. How could he know they were lying? He sounded so certain, so adamant that she wasn’t telling him the truth. Holly swallowed over a lump in her throat. This felt all wrong. David’s manner felt all wrong.
She took another step back, forgetting she was at the end of the dock. Another step and she’d be in the water. “We should probably go,” she suggested, struggling to keep her tone neutral and upbeat. “I know Mom wants us back home as soon as possible.”
David didn’t budge, but instead smiled and smoothed a hand through his hair. “I feel for your friend, Daniel,” he said distractedly, and then his eyes lighted on hers like a guided missile. “He’s right to be worried, you know. The apple usually doesn’t fall far from the tree.”
Holly gave him a puzzled glance. “Daniel seems … fine.”
“Take me, for example,” David said, smiling winningly. “I didn’t meet my own father until I was a grown man. In fact, I couldn’t have picked him out of a crowd three years ago, but thanks to my job, I managed to locate him.”
Holly nodded. “Well, that’s nice that you were able to find him. I’m sure he was happy to finally meet you. Um, why was it you hadn’t met him before…?”
David gave a dismissive wave. “That’s irrelevant. What is relevant is that I found him. In fact, finding him is what brought me to this part of the country. You see he used to live, well, here.”
“You mean, on this lake?” Holly eyed her stepfather, a sinking feeling in her gut. “We should go,” she persisted, attempting to take a step around him. He blocked her way and she stepped back, stumbled, and nearly tumbled into the lake. He stopped her by grabbing a hold of her elbow.
“Steady there,” he cautioned.
Holly’s heart was suddenly in her throat. She felt sick with dread as she met his gaze. His eyes had taken on a strange, blank quality, and he expelled a long sigh. She could see when his eyes focused again, but they were unfamiliar and menacing.
“I’m just, uh, glad the real killer has been identified,” Holly said, watching him.
He laughed. “You are the smart one, aren’t you? So unlike your little brother—”
“What about my brother?” Holly said uneasily.
“You know what I mean. The little guy is so easily led and manipulated. A gift here, a gift there—such a compliant little fellow.” He laughed, and this time it sounded almost maniacal. “Like a lamb to the slaughter.”
Holly gasped. “Harry loves you, David,” she said, her mind a whirlwind of tumultuous thoughts.
“Well, of course, he loves me,” he said agreeably, but his voice abruptly roughened. “A little boy’s affection comes cheap. But not yours! You don’t love me. There’s nothing I could ever do to make you love me. I see the suspicion in your eyes every time you look at me. It’s as if you look right through me. I think you’ve always known…”
“I don’t …” Holly began, but he interrupted her with a dismissive wave.
“We’re getting off task here. Like I said, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Imagine my surprise and delight to find that my ol’ Pop and I enjoyed the same, er, shall I say, extracurricular pursuits?”
Holly blanched. A cold wave of fear washed over her and she felt her knees buckle. It took a superhuman effort to remain upright. She needed to keep her wits about her. She knew that. Instinct told her that her life hung in the balance.
“Would you like me to show you where Pop lived?” David asked, his lips set in a sneer. Holly didn’t answer him, but he turned her toward the cabin and pointed. She felt his breath against her ear. “There.”
She felt a wave of nausea wash over her. She wanted to run, but there was nowhere to go.
“As I was saying before, Pop and I had similar, er, interests. Course, Pop liked ‘em about your age—you know, no longer a girl, but not quite a woman.” He laughed. “Like the song,” he said giddily, and glanced off and then back to her. “I’m not quite so particular. Girl, boy, younger, older… Well, in truth, I prefer ‘em younger—you know, like your little brother…”
“My … brother?” Suddenly, the implication of his words came crashing over her, followed by a cold rage. Holly charged him, shoving him with all her might, and began beating at him with her fists. He simply he took hold of her arms as if she were a small child. To her horror, he brusquely shoved her back and this time, she launched into the water, barely missing a sheared tree stump.
She went under water, but immediately broke the surface, sputtering. She had the presence of mind to begin swimming away from the dock and toward shore. Unfortunately, she caught sight of him out of the corner of her eye when he jumped into the water, landing crisply in the waist-deep shallows.
Attempting to hurry toward shore, she knew it was no use when he simply angled toward her, taking long, purposeful steps to head her off. She pulled back and headed for deeper water. He noticed and stopped his approach. “Exactly where do you think you’re going? You’re going to drown, you know.”
“I can swim!” she called defiantly.
“No, no, you misunderstand me,” he said with a sinister laugh. “I’m going to drown you.” He smiled, his lips pulling back over his teeth like a rabid dog’s. “‘Course, you and I might just have a little fun first. As I told you, you’re not especially my type, but…” He gave a neither-here-nor-there shrug. “We can make it work.”
Holly gasped, her eyes widened with fear. “They’ll know,” she said. “They’ll figure out you killed me.”
He laughed delightedly and derisively. “Oh, no, they won’t. Have you missed the point of our conversation? I’ve done this before, little girl. Pop and I, tag team killers. What a bonding experience!” he declared delightedly. “Besides, my poor, poor stepdaughter, do you forget…? I’m a deputy sheriff. I’m credible!” he said in a sing-song voice. “Oh, imagine my shock when I left the cabin and saw your lifeless body face down in the reservoir. I knew immediately that the horror of discovering all those bodies had left you bereft—had left you emotionally broken and unable to go on…”
“They will figure it out!” Holly said with fury in her voice. “You’re not going to get away with anything.” She glanced behind her, struggling to discern if anyone was boating nearby who might hear her call for help. She saw no one. Not a single boat on the lake. “Cassie!” she screamed. “Help me! It’s him! It’s him!”
David watched her, eyes widened in shock and mouth agape. He glanced out over the reservoir. “What the hell? Who are you calling to?”
“Cassie! Help me!”
David took a step toward her, but stopped, his brows furrowed in a frown. “Are you calling to a dead girl?” He shook his head and laughed menacingly. “Your friend Daniel isn’t the only one whose sanity is in question here.”
“The only one whose sanity is in question is … you!”
He shook his head, laughed, and then began his approach again.
>
“Did you kill Cassie?” Holly demanded loudly, as she propelled herself backward and toward deeper water.
David stopped in chest deep water and considered the question. “I suppose it won’t hurt to tell you that, yes, I killed her. Well, Pop and I. You see, we spotted her on the jet ski, heading toward the Siouxon. Not a particularly bright move on her part with dusk fast approaching…”
“So you both followed her,” Holly said from between clenched teeth. “Down the channel…?”
He shook his head. “Well, no. The girl didn’t actually go down the channel. Leaving her jet ski near the waterfall was a ruse—a diversion, if you will. Anyway, Pop and I were out fishing that evening and spotted her. We followed. She made it as far as the bridge, but stopped to turn back. She must have hit a small log, since she went into the water.”
“And you pulled her out,” Holly said.
“Put up a good fight too,” David said, cocking his head as if recalling a fond memory.
“Why didn’t you let her see your face? I mean, you were going to kill her, right? Why not let her see your face?”
“How the hell did you know she didn’t see my face?”
Holly could see she had unnerved him with her question. “You’re too cowardly, that’s why,” she said, growing bolder by the second. “Two men, attacking a girl. Big, big man,” she mocked. “If you’d been alone, my guess is Cassie would have taken you down. Coward!” she spat. “Cassie! It’s him!”
David glowered at her, glancing around him uneasily. “Stop doing that!” he insisted. “Have you lost your friggin mind?”
David lunged suddenly, but Holly pulled back again. She stared into the water, praying Cassie would be there. Unfortunately, she could no longer see the bottom of the lake, since it dropped off abruptly into deeper water. If David got a hold of her now, she knew he could easily overpower her. She glanced around her for something—a small log, stick, or other debris to fight him with. She saw nothing.
Just as he lunged again, Holly spied a form virtually fly off the dock and hit the water with a splash. It took a moment for her to register Zack powering through the water and toward David. David turned just as Zack reached him. He brought his hands up defensively, but a tenth of a second too slow, since Zack’s fist connected with his jaw.
The Reservoir Page 21