by Edwin Dasso
Slipping through the door, she twisted the lock then closed it behind her and tilted her wrist to check her watch. Now running late, she picked up her pace to her car. To meet Lance on time, she’d need to hustle.
Sitting on a park bench about twenty yards behind Elise’s Enclave condo, Daryl Quinn watched her rush across the parking lot to her car. He knew she intended to meet Lance Keaton, her cameraman. He also knew precisely where they would go and had a rough idea how long the game would last. But this time, her routine made little difference. His task here was almost complete.
Such a privileged bitch. She grew up in the lap of luxury… and her well-to-do daddy paid for her prissy car and pricey education. He harrumphed at the thought. He’d do her, though…in a heartbeat…and the time was near…so near he could smell it.
Now that he’d parked his rig in a secluded, secure spot, he’d drive a rental car for his return trip. An eight-hour drive was nothing for Daryl. After Elise pulled out of the parking lot, he returned to her apartment and slid a key into the lock then slowly opened the door.
“Rrrrrrrrrrr,” Jasper growled, but this time a little less intimidating.
Daryl edged inside then softly closed the door. Jasper was an unexpected inconvenience. He’d need to win over the dog…or get rid of him. He didn’t care which. “Come here, Jaz.”
“Rrrrrrrrrrr.”
He bent over and offered the dog a treat he’d purchased to lure him. “Come on, boy. I won’t hurt you…unless you make me.”
Jasper growled again, this time showing his teeth.
Tossing the treat forward, Daryl watched the dog sniff then crunch and swallow the biscuit. “See, I’m not so bad once you get to know me.” Digging into his pocket again, he edged toward the kitchen then replaced the malfunctioning bug under the corner of the counter. This time, at least, the mutt didn’t bark like hell. Daryl could handle a growl or two. He edged back toward the door. “That’s right, Jasper, you little prick. I’m leaving now,” he said, with an endearing tone. He inched open the door, slid outside then twisted the lock, and gently pulled the handle until he heard the click.
He returned to his rental car, slipped inside, and started the engine then set the GPS. With the radio turned down low, he settled in for the eight-hour drive and pondered how brilliantly his plan unfolded. Everything down to the most seemingly insignificant detail was set in place. For two years, he’d planned his revenge. At first, he researched every aspect of his mark’s life. Slowly, he learned and absorbed everything he could about childhood, schooling, family, and friends.
Over time, he expanded his knowledge to encompass habits, dreams, and personal relationships. By the end of the first year, he’d saved enough money from his cross-country, eighteen-wheeler deliveries to buy state-of-the-art surveillance equipment and educated himself on how to use it. Once all the bugs were in place, he listened to intimate daily life, while he gathered background on “the others.”
It sickened him to see what a privileged life his mark had lived––how spoiled and pampered. Daryl deserved that kind of upbringing. Instead, his momma scrimped and saved just to put food on the table. Her holier-than-thou, self-righteous parents disowned her when she told them she was pregnant.
She didn’t disgrace her family. She worked her ass off to get through medical school…they should have been proud…and they should have believed her. Instead, they called her a slut…said she lied when she claimed she was gang-raped by a bunch of drunken jocks at a graduation party.
She couldn’t control what happened that night, and she didn’t plan to get pregnant. But she sure as hell controlled whether or not to keep her own kid. If Daryl ever found out who his grandparents were, he’d make them pay, too.
5
Arriving home at one o’clock a.m., Elise fell into bed fully dressed…until Jasper rambunctiously reminded her to take him outside. He bounded on top of her and licked her ear.
“Okay, boy. You win.” Yawning, she trudged to the closet for his leash and attached it to his collar. When she opened the door, he shot outside, dragging her behind. She followed as Jasper took her for a walk in the park. Too tired to drag him back to the condo to lock the backdoor, she kept an eye on the porch.
A flashing blue light stabbing through the night sky immediately drew her attention and she stared beyond the park trees to the rear of the complex. She yanked on Jasper’s leash to shorten the lead. “I see it, too, boy.” She drew him closer. “I wonder what’s going on.”
“The police are knocking on all the doors in that section.”
Pulse racing, she snapped around. In the dimly lit park, she didn’t see the man approach. “Oh, God. You scared me to death.”
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to. I’m Jason Mallory.”
“Nice to meet you, Jason. Do you frequently lurk in the park and sneak up on women after midnight?” She continued her stride toward the flashing lights.
“No.” He chuckled and paced alongside. “I’ve been watching since the police arrived about twenty minutes ago. I live right over there.” He pointed to a section of the development adjacent to the pool. “I’ve seen you around. You must live close.”
“Yeah…I do.” Since she lived in a gated community, it stood to reason they both lived close, but Elise wasn’t in the habit of conversing with strangers.
As if sensing her caution, Jasper growled.
She was glad she had him next to her. Although, she expected the most he would do if confronted was lick the man to death. Still, Jason didn’t know that, and she felt uncomfortable telling a complete stranger where she lived. She flashed him a glance then shifting her gaze toward the police cars. She craned her neck to see the activity and edged closer. “So, what’s going on over there?”
“The lady in 6B…” He paused a long beat before continuing. “Do you know her?”
Elise squinted as they approached the ambulance. “No. Is she sick or injured?”
“Neither. Not anymore.” He shook his head. “From what I heard, the police received several calls from her friend. He was to pick her up for a dinner date. Her car was parked in the lot, but she didn’t answer the door…or her phone. He begged the police to check on her. They finally did. When she didn’t answer the doorbell or a series of hard knocks, they broke in and found the poor woman––dead. Bruises around her neck indicated strangulation.”
Elise’s skin crawled, and she shivered. “Oh, my God. That’s awful. The Enclave is gated and presumably a safe neighborhood.”
His lips flattened, and he shrugged.
“That’s why I chose this community.”
“I hear ya.” He stepped closer to the unravelling police scene.
Heart pounding, Elise felt a battle churn inside. She wanted to know more, but discovering someone had been murdered just behind her condo twisted a knot in her stomach. As much as she loved covering the sports news, she didn’t have the guts to cover violent crime. “I wonder if the murder was random––like a burglary gone bad––or someone she knew?”
Again, Jason shrugged. “I don’t know the details. When neighbors began to line the street, we were pushed back, and the police told everyone to go home. I was curious, so I just walked back here to the park area.”
“Well, I think going home is a good idea. If a woman was murdered, the killer could still be in the neighborhood. Thanks for letting me know, Jason. Come on, boy.” She turned and tugged Jasper’s leash. “Let’s go home.”
“Nice to meet you,” he called after her. “Maybe I’ll see you around.”
Elise didn’t respond. Instead, she picked up her pace and rushed toward her building then purposely walked around to the front door. She didn’t know Jason Mallory. For all she knew, he could be the killer, and she didn’t want him to know which condo was hers.
She reached behind a bush and under a rock for her emergency key. Turning the knob, she pushed open the door with her foot and stepped inside. She shut the door and flattened her back agains
t the entrance. Even through her jacket, the gooseflesh on her arms prickled, and she drew in a long breath to relax her nerves.
Biting her lower lip, she wondered why dark stories and violence disturbed her so much. She hated horror movies and turned off newscasts covering local crime. Had she blocked a frightening event in her past? Or was she just a scared little girl at heart? She didn’t know. But she couldn’t shake the eerie chills violent scenes triggered.
After turning the deadbolt to double-lock the front door, she latched the back entry, as well, then unhooked Jasper’s leash. As a rule, she never slept with her dog. She didn’t even allow him on her bed. But tonight, a poor woman was murdered only a football field away, and she had no idea why. With a killer on the loose in her own backyard, Elise left on the closet light and cuddled with Jasper under the covers. Maybe, with him nestled next to her, she’d get some sleep. With little conviction, she closed her eyes.
Four thirty a.m. Saturday morning arrived far too fast. During basketball season, weekends meant a packed schedule. She showered and dressed then took Jasper for a quick walk before heading to the office, stopping only briefly to go through the Starbucks drive-through. Venti latte in hand, she slid into a seat just as the morning’s production meeting began.
When the meeting ended, she gathered her schedule, notes, and the day’s headlines, and took them to her office where she sifted through and fleshed out the most gripping sports stories and organized her day. By eight o’clock, she was sitting in a cubical while her makeup artist did her magic with Elise’s hair and face. Afterward, she checked in with her cameraman. By nine, she and Lance had their van packed and ready. They compared notes as they pulled out of the studio parking lot and headed toward their first stop. Today, they would interview Georgia Tech’s head coach for a segment that would be aired on the six-p.m. news.
The pre-game show started at eleven a.m. Fortunately, Elise’s schedule kept her too busy to think about the Enclave murder the night before or Deke’s return to Atlanta.
The eight-hour drive flew by for Daryl. With only his thoughts for company, his strategy energized him, feeding a constant, slow-release stream of adrenaline to fuel his agenda. He hated altering any detail. Murdering that nosey neighbor across the park area wasn’t planned. He didn’t mean to kill her. His thoughts spun to what preceded the murder. When the old lady next door to Elise rattled the front doorknob then slid a key into the lock, Daryl had little time to think. He barely escaped through the rear entrance.
If that hot young woman had only turned the other direction to walk her dog, she’d still be alive. But no. She saw Daryl slip out of Elise’s condo––stared directly into his eyes––then she picked up her little dog and rushed home. No doubt she could identify him, and if she did, his entire plan would explode before the scheme even began. He couldn’t let that happen or all his hard work would be for nothing. He didn’t want to hurt the woman, especially a looker like her…but he had to eliminate the threat.
He followed her home…jimmied the lock and crept inside through the backdoor before she came through the front. The woman never saw him coming. She bent over and detached the dog’s leash from his collar. As she stood, Daryl’s hand slid around her neck and covered her mouth.
The little dog viciously barked. Daryl shot a swift kick that sent the animal scurrying away…
“Don’t…fight…me. I know you saw me sneaking out of that condo…but––”
She twisted, wriggling against him.
“I was just leaving a rose––”
Struggling to escape his grip, she freed an arm and grabbed a vase from the foyer table then shattered the glass behind his ear.
Daryl jerked her head against his chest and stared into her pleading eyes. In a brief moment, he watched her fear turn to terror and then…acceptance, as if she knew she was about to die. Twisting her around to face him, he heard a sharp crack. She went limp in his embrace…and a shot of heat sizzled through his arms and legs. He released his grip and glared at the terrified stare frozen on her face––a stare now etched into his mind––and every time he gazed into a mirror for the rest of his life, he’d see a cold-blooded killer.
His thoughts spun to his momma. She was the only woman who ever really loved him. What would she think of him now? He wished she mentioned her parents’ names when she told him the truth on her deathbed. But she feared he’d avenge her, so, she never revealed their identity…and she was right. If she’d had the money to fight her cancer, she might have survived. Instead, he had to watch her slowly fade away to only a frail shadow of the woman who raised him. She suffered with excruciating pain, and Daryl felt powerless to do anything to help.
As much as he loved his momma, she was weak. She should have told the cops what happened. Had the filthy bastards arrested and thrown in jail for raping her. Instead, she ran away…left her entire life behind. She changed her name and created a new life with her son. For that, Daryl was thankful. Still, she graduated with honors…and could have had a lucrative career as a doctor. But under her new name, she could claim no diploma or papers to prove her education, so she settled for menial jobs.
Daryl bit off the tip of his fingernail then spat to the side. He checked the rearview mirror, railing over his situation. He could have had a chance for an impressive career, too. A doctor’s salary would pay the way for whatever he wanted. He might have been a doctor… a lawyer, an architect, an athlete, or a sportscaster. Instead, he drove a heavy rig cross country. Sure, the job paid good…and he was damn lucky to have such a solid occupation. But he’d never know what he might have achieved had he been given more options.
Fury seethed inside Daryl’s veins. The bastards who raped his momma would pay for what they did. He’d track them down…every one of them…once he figured out who the hell they were. For now, he’d take on the devil he knew.
Daryl pulled into a spot on The Crown Plaza parking deck and turned off his rental car. Tired from the drive, he rode the elevator to the lobby and strolled into Taggart’s for a good dinner. Sitting at a small table by the window, he gazed at the menu. Tonight, he would splurge.
“Good evening, sir. Would you care for a cocktail before dinner?”
“Whiskey. Straight up.”
“Would you like top shelf or the house?”
“The house is fine.”
“Yes, sir.” The waiter pivoted and paced toward the bar.
Daryl leaned back into the plush chair. “Now, this is the life.” He perused the menu.
When the waiter returned, he placed a napkin in front of Daryl then a small glass of whiskey. “Would you care for an appetizer or are you ready to order?”
Daryl smiled. “I’ll have your twelve-ounce sirloin steak topped with the chef’s house-made compound butter, a house salad with blue cheese dressing, au gratin potatoes, and asparagus.”
“Yes, sir.” Again, he turned. This time, he headed toward the kitchen.
Staring at the amber liquid, Daryl’s thoughts spun. After two years of preparation, he would finally exact his revenge tomorrow…and this plan was flawless.
6
Gazing at his watch, Deke hustled through the airport toward the gate. The plane would board soon, and he wanted to grab a snack and drink to take on the flight. Seeing a McDonald’s, he stepped to the shortest line and scanned at the menu. Why, he didn’t know. He always ordered the same meal––a quarter pounder with cheese, a large fries, and a Coke. When his order came, he stuffed the sack into his duffle. Soft drink in hand, he flung his baggage over his left shoulder and rushed for the gate, arriving just as the passengers began boarding.
He lowered his bags and withdrew his ticket from the inside of his jacket then weaseled his way through the crowd. When the staff called for first-class passengers, Deke shoved his way to the front of the line. After his boarding pass was scanned, he scooted down the ramp to the plane. Finding his seat, he rested his bags on the chair, placed his drink in the cupholder and retrieved h
is food. He took off his jacket and stuffed it next to his bags in the overhead area then closed the compartment and slipped into his window seat. Drawing in a deep breath, he held the air for a long beat then whooshed it out.
Once he was seated, the flight attendant leaned close.
“Can I bring you a drink, sir?” She smiled.
Deke considered the request, noting the late hour. He’d had a rough week. One drink would relax him. “Sure. Bring me a whiskey, please. No ice.”
“You’ve got it.” Nodding, she turned and disappeared behind the galley partition.
Threading his fingers behind his neck, Deke leaned against his hands. As an NFL player, he’d be traveling a lot more, and great salary aside, he looked forward to the perks.
The plane took off on time and was scheduled to land in Atlanta at ten p.m. He threw back the rest of his whiskey and peered out the window into the night sky.
His thoughts drifting to Elise, he dumped his food from the bag and laid it out on his tray. Smiling, he recalled yesterday’s conversation with her. She said she couldn’t wait to see him. But she had no idea how anxious he was to see her.
Elise woke up with a jolt from an erotic dream, her hair stringy and damp. Not because Deke fulfilled her wildest fantasies so vividly her entire body rippled with delight…but because as he kissed a path down her neck to her stomach, she opened her eyes to see a faceless man hovering over her, a knife gripped tightly in his left hand, poised to kill. She screamed as loud as she could, but no shriek burst through the silence. Deke faded into the distance and she thrashed back and forth until she finally awoke in a cold sweat.
Jasper licked the moisture from her face, replacing it with his slippery slobber. Instead of pushing him away, she hugged him tightly then reached for the dim lamp on her side table. Damn. Why did violent acts stick in her mind…spin through her dreams, and torment her like this? Her parents assured her she’d grow out of the scary nightmares. But they still clung to the corners of her mind and surfaced whenever she came in contact with disturbing incidents.
