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  “I really thought these were just pranks. You don’t think they are anymore either.” Parker slumps down in the chair next to Paige.

  “No, I don’t. But you could probably give them to the new deputy washing his truck over there. His abs make me want to lick the sweat off of them.”

  “Ew,” Parker laughs. “You know he can probably hear you right?”

  Ryder turns his back to the girls to hide the smirk on his face. It would be a dead giveaway he was listening. Something moves in his peripheral vision, and he turns his head to the left. Paige is now looking at the woods behind her neighbor’s yard. Following her gaze, Ryder’s gaze lands on a pale man with blonde hair watching the girls from the bushes on the edge of the woods, his eyes locked on Parker.

  Just as Parker turns to look in the same direction, the man takes off running. Ryder starts sprinting in that direction and reaches the woods in record speed. Red is the only thing Ryder can see right now, but after walking about fifteen yards in, he knew he wasn’t going to find the man spying on the girls.

  Taking a few breaths, he slows his racing heart, and the red slowly disperses. The man looked familiar, but Ryder doesn’t know who he is.

  Chapter 3

  Parker is watching her best friend with wide-eyed fear as she leans further and further over the porch railing to see where the newest deputy on the force ran off to. “You’re going to fall.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “What’s going on? What happened?”

  Ryder walks back around the front of the house, panting only slightly after the sprint. His abs are glistening with sweat, and his tan skin accentuates his large bicep muscles. Her eyes are drawn from his tattooed arms to his six pack abs, and she can’t help thinking that if the dictionary had pictures like her father suggested, he would be pictured under the term ‘washboard abs’.

  “Did you get him?” Paige asks.

  “Who?” Parker ask looking between Ryder and Paige.

  Aaron Williams, Parker’s boyfriend pulls into the driveway and gets out looking concerned. He’s wearing sweatpants and a white short sleeve t-shirt with yellow pit stains. Standing next to Ryder, he looks like a stumpy gym teacher next to an MMA fighter. “What’s going on here?”

  “There was a man over in Mrs. Tillage’s yard watching Parker,” Paige finally offers up.

  “Do you know him?” Ryder asks her.

  “No, but he looked familiar. I don’t know why though. I know everyone in this town. Including you, who has lived here all of thirty seconds.”

  “There was someone watching me?” Parker asks wrapping her arms around herself.

  “Looks like there was more than one person watching you. Where did you come from, Deputy Newbie?” Aaron says.

  “Watch yourself, Sparky. Don’t hurt yourself now. Miss Lewis, be careful. I’d suggest filing a report and asking Paige to give a description to John, the sketch artist in the department.”

  “Thank you,” Parker says. “I’ll head down there soon.”

  Ryder walks back to his driveway and resumes washing his pickup. Aaron looks over at Ryder in agitation.

  “What the hell was he doing over here?” Aaron demands.

  “He chased the creeper watching Parker?” Paige shrugs.

  Aaron looks directly at Parker. “Are you fucking him?”

  Ryder looks up from his truck and stares at Aaron.

  “Yes, because all of my sexual conquests refer to me as Miss Lewis.”

  “He could be covering it up.”

  “Aaron, chill. You’re showing a lot of crazy,” Paige says.

  “Aside from the occasional greeting, I think these were the first words we’ve spoken to each other since he moved here,” Parker says. “I’m not sure how you go from someone watching me from the woods to me sleeping with the new deputy in town, but okay.”

  “Aaron, don’t you think this accusation is a jump considering what just happened?” Paige says.

  “What are you doing here anyway?” Parker asks.

  Tugging at his white t-shirt, he looks anywhere but at her. “I went to your house, but no one was there. I decided to try Paige’s place.”

  “You came from the east. I live west.”

  “I stopped to get something to eat first.”

  “Really? Where?” Paige asks.

  “At a place. What the fuck does it matter?” Aaron asks as the two stare each other down.

  Parker looks between the two of them trying to understand the dynamic happening in front of her eyes. She shakes off the weird vibes she’s getting and realizes the man in the woods may be the one sending her the creepy love letters.

  Chapter 4

  Ryder sits in his chair with only an hour left of his shift at the station, and he is doing everything he can not to punch someone. His partner, Mack Young, seems to get along with him, but they are partners. There’s a code between partners. Everyone else seems to believe he’s their bitch-boy since he’s the rookie and ‘needs to earn his place’ here. As if getting hired wasn’t sufficient enough.

  “I swear, if I have to write one more fucking report,” Ryder says under his breath.

  “Cool it, man. If they hear you, they’re going to only make it worse,” Mack says quietly. He is about six feet tall with sandy blonde hair and hazel eyes. He’s built, but not quite as strong as Ryder.

  “Seriously, bro, I’m better than writing reports. We’ve been here all night, and I’ve written seven. SEVEN!”

  “You just gotta stick it out for a bit longer. They’ll ease up. They’re trying to push you until you snap. Then they’ll keep you there. Just let it roll off your back until they get tired of it.”

  “I’m not great at doing that.”

  “No shit!” he jokes. “It’ll be fine.”

  “So, you got a girl you go home to every night?” Ryder asks. He’s worked with Mack for almost six months now, and he knows nothing personal about him.

  “Yeah, I got a girl.”

  “Wife?”

  “No.”

  “Gonna be your wife?”

  “Haven’t decided yet.”

  “Would she make good wife material?”

  “I think so. She cooks and cleans.”

  “That’s what you’re basing it on?”

  “What else am I supposed to base it on?”

  “Sex?” Ryder suggests.

  “You’re so young, it’s cute.”

  “What the fuck does that mean?”

  “You gotta make sure you can live with them after the sex goes. Which inevitably happens with every marriage.”

  “I guess that means I can’t get married. Sex is kind of a must.”

  “I wouldn’t say that too loud with Chief here since you eye fuck his goddaughter every time she comes near you.”

  “What the fuck are you talking about?”

  “We see it. Don’t worry. I don’t think Chief does. But you better be careful. She may be legal, but she’s a good girl.”

  “I’m not interested in her anyway,” Ryder says. “I don’t do relationships.”

  “Yeah, okay.”

  “Seriously, I’m not any good at them. I’ve been in one serious relationship in my life, and it ended terribly.”

  “Huh,” Mack says and looks at the paper on his desk. “I wonder why.”

  “Dick,” Ryder says playfully punching him in the arm.

  “Edwards, Young, grab your shit. We have another body,” Chief calls from his office.

  Ryder looks at Mack as he raises his eyebrows. “Finally get to see some action around here. Not quite as cool as when we have to pick up the drunk pastor from the bar because he’s getting handsy with the college girls home for summer break, but it’ll do.”

  “That was definitely something I’d never seen before. Hope this can top it,” Ryder jokes back as they hurry to the squad car.

  As they follow Sam’s vehicle, Ryder sees Parker being hugged tightly by her father with tears streaming down her
face. They get out of the cars, and Sam starts barking orders.

  “Edwards, take the statement. Young, you and I will set up a parameter and wait for the coroner to get here. The last thing we need is another contaminated crime scene.”

  Ryder walks up to Parker and her father as more deputies show up and help come through evidence. “Morning,” Ryder says, conscious to make sure not to say ‘good morning,’ and takes out his notepad.

  “Why isn’t Sam talking to us?” Peter Lewis snaps. His arms are wrapped protectively around Parker, and Ryder can see the fear in his eyes.

  “Dad,” Parker starts.

  “No, he needs to make sure this is all done right. The last two have been sloppy.”

  “I’m sorry,” Parker says and looks at Ryder. Her tears have stopped.

  “Sir, Chief is helping set up the parameter to ensure we don’t have any contamination. He and my partner, Mack, are making sure everything is done correctly. I’m still a little new, so this is my task. We can let the vets work to get evidence, and I can take your daughter’s statement. I can even send you a copy afterwards if you feel I might something,” he says. It takes everything in him not to lash out, but he knows it’ll only make the situation worse.

  “It’s okay, Dad. I trust him. Plus, Sam wouldn’t have sent him if he didn’t think he could take a simple statement.”

  “Fine,” Peter says. “I’m going to go chat with Sam quick if you’re okay.”

  “I’m okay.” He walks away and she turns back to Ryder. “I’m so sorry about that.”

  “It’s fine,” Ryder says opening his notepad. “Can you tell me what happened, Miss Lewis?”

  “Parker. You know my name is Parker.”

  “Yes, Miss.”

  “Okay, I can’t do this if you’re going to be weird.”

  “Weird?”

  “Yeah, you’re acting weird,” she says and shifts her weight. “It’s too, I don’t know. Cold? None of the other guys treat me this way.”

  “I’m sorry, I’m just trying to keep things professional,” Ryder says. “Can you tell me what happened, Parker?”

  “Thanks. I was running my usual loop of just over eight miles. I run through the park right before I head home. It holds a lot of childhood memories, you know?”

  “You take the same route every day?”

  “Yeah.”

  “You should really vary your routine up. Especially if someone is watching you. It gives them opportunities to track you.”

  “So I’ve heard.”

  “Just a suggestion since you had the weird guy watching you yesterday.”

  “You’re probably right,” she says. “When I turned home, I saw Chantal on the slide.”

  “You know the victim?”

  “Chantal Ward.”

  “How do you know her?”

  “She was two years ahead of me in school. We ran track together. We lost touch a bit when she went to college, but we were going to be on the same track team again next year.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “I knew she was dead,” she whispers. “She was lying naked on the slide, her skin pale with that glazed look in her eyes. But I couldn’t help rushing toward her to see if there was any hope of being able to help her. I touched her neck to see if there was a pulse, and she was cold. Ice cold. And then she started screaming.”

  “She started screaming?” His brows furrow and he looks over to the coroner who has just arrived.

  “I swear it was her,” she says earnestly. “She turned her head toward me and started screaming. But when Dad came running out and grabbed me, he said it was me who was screaming.”

  Ryder looks into her eyes, and his heart breaks a little. She reminded him a little of Tara, and how she remembers what happened makes him feel for her just a bit more. No one should experience what she just experienced.

  “Did you see anyone else around? Hear anything?”

  “No,” Parker says after thinking for a moment. “I’m not sure I would’ve noticed anyway.”

  “That’s alright. It might come to you as you calm down a bit, too.”

  “I feel like I’m being watched,” she whispers as she looks around. No one is looking at them except for her father.

  “By who?” Ryder looks around as well.

  “I don’t know. Even before the guy from yesterday, I’ve been feeling like I’m being watched. It’s hard to explain.”

  “Just remember your gut will know before you realize something is wrong. Trust it.”

  “I suppose,” she says uncertainly.

  “And if there is anything else you think of, let us know. I’d give you a card, but I’m sure you already know Chief’s number.”

  “Yeah.” She looks at the ground and kicks it slightly with the toe of her sneaker.

  “What’s up?” Ryder asks. He may not know her well, but girl body language isn’t that hard to decipher. Most of the time, anyway.

  “Can I ask you something?”

  “Sure.”

  “But you have to promise not to judge me.”

  “Okay.”

  “I don’t want to sound self-centered, but have you noticed how all of the girls who have been murdered look like me?”

  “Where is this coming from?” All three victims were blonde with blue eyes and an athletic build. Now that he looks at her, Chantal definitely looks like Parker.

  “Chantal has a cut above her left eyebrow.”

  “So did the other two. It’s most likely a signature,” he says.

  She reaches above her left eye and points to a scar matching the cut on all three victims. “I have a scar in the same place.”

  He looks at her scar and imagines the images of the bodies. She was right. The cuts were in the exact spot her scar was. Instead of scaring her, he says, “It’s probably just a weird coincidence. It could be something completely unrelated. Maybe the killer has a matching scar from abuse he suffered as a child. It’s not unusual to have projection of past abuse reflected on victims. Or, he could be a narcissist who wants his victims to look like him. There are a few different options, and some we may not ever understand.”

  “Thanks,” she says. “That makes me feel a little better.”

  She walks towards Sam and her father, and he makes a mental note to mention the commonalities to Sam. She may be on to something.

  Chapter 5

  Sometime after giving her statement to Ryder, she went home. Her parents, both obviously worried about her, were hovering. Feeling like a caged animal, Parker convinced them to go to work. She was fine. Luckily, Peter was able to see the frustration Parker was feeling with Anne trying to smother her with love, and he convinced her to go to work.

  “Are you sure we’re not the worst parents in America for leaving our daughter home alone after she discovers a dead body?” Anne asks.

  “Mom, you’re not bad parents, so I don’t think you could even be in the running for worst parents. I’m fine. I promise! I just need to take a shower and sleep,” Parker says.

  “Come on, Anne. We’ll head to the office. Parker knows she can call us with anything.”

  “I will. I promise.” Peter pulls her mother out the door.

  As soon as they leave, Parker is overcome with the same feeling of being watched. Instead of heading up to her room, she decides to try sleeping on the couch. The sounds in the house kept making her jump, and her mind was convincing her someone was there. Or was that her gut? She couldn’t be sure after talking with Ryder.

  She finally fell asleep, and when she woke up, the room was lit with an orange glow. It was seven at night and the sun was starting to set. Pulling out her phone, she attempts to call Paige for the third time since that morning.

  “Hey, you’ve reached Paige! I’m not able to answer my phone right now because I’m out actually living my life. Leave me a message, and I’ll think about calling you back.” BEEP

  “It’s me. Again. Please call me back,” Parker says and hangs up the ph
one.

  Looking at it in her hand, she contemplates calling Aaron, but he wasn’t answering either. Giving up on reaching either of them, she walks upstairs to take a shower. Grabbing the bottom of her tank top to pull over her head, she sees another letter on her desk.

  “Another one?” she asks out loud. It wasn’t on her desk earlier. Or was it? Ripping it open, she gasps to see the familiar handwriting.

  Dearest Parker,

  I’m so glad you’re starting to catch on to the girls I’ve picked. They’re all very beautiful, but they can’t hold a candle to you. It’s like you already know me without meeting me yet. You were one hundred percent right talking to the deputy. You are the most beautiful girl in the world, and I wanted to show you that. Make the world as beautiful as you. This proves to me we’re almost ready to meet. I can’t wait to talk to you in person.

  Until I see you,

  K

  RING

  Parker jumps as her phone rings.

  “Hi Mom,” she says reading the caller ID.

  “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. I just woke up,” she lies. She’s shocked at how easy it’s becoming. “What’s up? Where are you guys?”

  “We got sucked into a meeting. We’re still going to be a bit. I just wanted to call and check to make sure you were okay. I can duck out and come home if you need me to.”

  “I’m fine. Stay for the meeting.”

  “Do you want me to call Mrs. Trimble to come sit with you?”

  “Mom, I’m fine. Really. I’m about to head to Paige’s house.” Mrs. Trimble was a seventy-year-old woman who lived next door. She couldn’t help her, even if something happened. Last week, she started her kitchen on fire while baking biscuits for dinner at four thirty in the afternoon.

  “I don’t think you should be going out.”

  “I’ll be okay,” she says, guilt settling in for lying to her. “She’s not too far away, and I’ll get a ride home from her mom if need be. It’s not dark just yet.”

  “Be careful. I love you.”