He turned around, staring at her as she walked. One, two, three, he counted internally, and then,
“Cecilia?”
Chapter
Twenty-One
Jordyn
“What are you talking about?” Jordyn’s heart pounded at Henry’s accusation. Her phone began buzzing in her pocket, but she ignored it.
“You think I haven’t noticed how bad things have gotten since you moved in? Two deaths in one night? Shootings? You’re pushing so hard for answers trying to look innocent, and yet somehow your child was nowhere to be found on that list. You place your house for sale, nothing. I may be old, but I’m not stupid. I know you’re involved with them somehow.”
“Henry, you can’t possibly believe that. I would never.” Her phone began buzzing again, but she couldn’t find the motivation to check it.
“You should go, Ms. Atwood. And don’t ever come back.” He shut the door in her face without another word.
She pounded on his door. “Please don’t do this! Please, Henry,” she begged. “You know that isn’t true! You know it!”
Beside her, her sister touched her arm softly, pulling her off the door. “Jor, we should go. Let him grieve.”
Jordyn allowed herself to be pulled away, but thought better of it and turned back once more. She leaned into the door. “Henry, we’re protesting. Today at noon, okay? We’re asking everyone to be there. We’re going to end this before anyone else gets hurt.” She paused, expecting him to open the door. When he didn’t, she continued, “I’m sorry, Henry. I’m so so sorry that you lost her. You don’t know how badly I wanted to prevent that. But you should come today. Help us. Help us for Lauren.”
When he didn’t respond and the door didn’t open, she sulked off the porch to join Kate, who wrapped her arm around Jordyn’s shoulders. Jordyn’s phone was buzzing again. Finally, she pulled it out, glancing at the screen.
“Carrie?” she called into it, climbing into her car.
“Jordyn? Where are you? I’ve been trying to call.”
“Headed over to your house, actually.”
“Jordyn.” Something in her voice sent chills down Jordyn’s spine. “Something’s happened.”
“What is it?” Beside her, Kate’s eyes grew wide in fear.
“It’s, Jordyn, it’s Erin. She’s in the hospital. She fell down the stairs this morning.”
“Fell?” Jordyn’s face burned. There was a silence on the other line, confirming what she knew. “Carrie, the baby?”
“The baby’s gone,” she said, her voice muffled and cracking.
“I’m coming to the hospital now.”
“No,” Carrie said quickly. “We have to stick to the plan. Spread out. Get the news out. Jordyn, we have to finish what we started. Two children are already dead and it’s been one day. One day. This has to end. We have to end it. Erin’s husband is with her. She’s going to be okay. They should release her soon.”
“You’re right,” Jordyn said grimly, though she didn’t like it. “Carrie, do you think this is because of last night?”
“I don’t know,” Carrie answered honestly. “I honestly don’t. I’d like to think not. But even so, what we decided last night was right. We can’t be scared anymore. And that starts here, on the phone. No more speaking in code, or hiding. Let them know we’re coming for them.”
Jordyn nodded, though she knew Carrie couldn’t see her.
“We do this for Erin,” Carrie said.
“And Lauren.”
“And Kinley. Rebecca.”
“For everyone.” Jordyn smiled sadly.
***
By eleven thirty, Jordyn and Kate had gotten thirteen people to agree to help them. Five people said maybe. Eight people told them to go away. One lady had offered to pray with them. Before heading downtown, Jordyn passed a small dead end street with one house sitting back away from the road. They pulled into the drive carefully.
The dilapidated old house’s shutters had begun to crack and the yard was overgrown. A small lawnmower sat on the corner, where it looked like someone had given up months ago. It didn’t look like anyone had cared for this place in years.
“This place looks empty, Jor,” Kate said skeptically.
“No, look.” Jordyn pointed. “There is a car back there. And there’s no grass growing through the gravel, which means someone is still driving this road. This is the only house. Someone must live here.”
The girls climbed out of the car, looking for movement behind the old windows. As they approached the big green door with its peeling paint, it swung open before they could knock. The woman before them had to be about their age, though she looked much older. Her cheeks were sunken in, her black hair was matted and uncut, and her eyes seemed empty. She wore a grey t-shirt, which was several sizes too big and had a few questionable stains on it. The smell from inside the house was a combination of cigarette smoke, animal feces, and mildew.
“Who’re you?” she asked.
“Hi. My name’s Jordyn. This is my sister, Kate. I was wondering if you had a few moments to talk.”
“Why?” she asked.
“It’s sort of a long story. Do you mind if we come in?” Jordyn asked, though she didn’t really want to.
The woman thought for a second. “Okay, but I got guns. My husband’s in the bedroom too. He’ll kill you if you try something. So don’t even think about it,” she warned them.
Jordyn nodded, following the woman into a small living room. It adjoined the kitchen, bright green carpet lining the floor. The walls were yellow and tarnished, giant cracks pointing to severe foundation issues. Jordyn sank into a red-and-tan couch after the woman pushed a stack of laundry out of the way. Jordyn severely hoped it was clean rather than dirty. A skinny lab walked into the room, sniffing at Jordyn’s feet, then Kate’s, before turning and laying down.
“Ya’ll want something to drink? I ain’t got much. Water? Beer? I could make some tea,” the woman offered.
“We’re fine.” Jordyn smiled. “But thank you. Actually, we’re here with a purpose. It’s going to be an earful,” she warned. “Oh, I’m sorry, I never even got your name.”
“Melissa,” the woman answered.
“Melissa. It’s really nice to meet you. A few people from the town, we’re out going house to house today, asking for help.”
“I ain’t got no money,” Melissa said.
“Not that kind of help.” Jordyn smiled shyly. “Do you have any children, Melissa?”
The woman’s dark eyes grew darker. “No,” she said simply.
“You see, I moved here about a year ago with my husband and our baby. I’ve been really bothered by all of the death here. So, I started asking questions. I’m sure you know what I found.”
“What are you saying?” Melissa patted her dog’s head gently.
“Well, to be frank, I know about The List. And about the people behind it.”
“You know who’s behind the dead kids?” She bit a piece of skin beside of her fingernail, looking intrigued. Her voice was squeaky, hoarse sounding.
“Well, no. But my friends and I have been doing a lot of research. As of this morning, two children are already dead off of the new list. We both know they won’t be the last, Melissa.”
“So what are you saying?”
“We’re meeting in the town square today, protesting. Demanding that this all stop. If you and your husband would like to join us, as well as any of your friends, we’d really appreciate the support.”
“I’m sorry, but what? You’re protesting murderers? You think you can stop this?” Her forehead wrinkled.
“Well, we certainly think it’s worth a shot.”
“And when this whole town is shot up and our blood is on your hands? Then what? You’re new to Bates, you said. You don’t know what these people are capable of.”
“I know what’s happened here. I’ve been told the stories. I know that no one else in this town has stepped up to stop this.” She pau
sed. When the woman didn’t respond, she said, “You’re right. I am new here, but I’m here. And I’m staying. And I’m going to end this. You don’t have to help, but don’t say it can’t be done if you won’t even try.” She stared at her defensively, standing up and walking toward the door.
Melissa was quick behind her. “This won’t stop. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ten years ago. It will never stop,” she said, her browning teeth quivering.
“How do you know?” Jordyn asked.
The woman was still. “Just listen to me. You don’t want to do this. Not like this. You’ll only make it worse. You’ll only make all of it worse.”
“It can’t get any worse,” Jordyn said spitefully, pulling open the door and sucking in a breath of fresh air. She stepped out onto the concrete steps.
“You don’t know what you’re doing,” the woman warned.
“Yes, I do. I’m doing what no one else in this town will. Unless you have something to tell me, I’ll be going. I’m sorry to have wasted your time.”
The woman bit her lip, looking into the house behind her. Finally, without another word, she shut the door and Jordyn had her answer.
Chapter
Twenty-Two
HIM
The plan was in place. As soon as those troublemakers showed their faces in town, the text would be sent out. Every phone in Bates would light up with a revelation unlike anything they’d seen before. His heart raced with adrenaline.
It wasn’t supposed to be this way, he reasoned with himself. Everything was going smoothly until it wasn’t. One little stone could cause enough ripples to destroy everything he’d worked so hard to build. He’d always known that. Until now, though, he’d done well getting rid of any ripple-causing stones.
After today, this particular stone would never cause him any problems again. Her friends either. His plan was foolproof, error free, and perfect. Just like always. Taking the second child off of his list had been just what he’d needed to clear his head. Meeting Cecilia after had been the cherry on top of a perfect morning. From there, his plan had all but laid itself out.
His phone buzzed. They were starting to show up. He turned on his street cameras. He had two on each side of the town square. The cameras had been essentially useless for years, but they were proving exceptionally handy now. His smile grew as he watched them fill the square. It was cute, really, how their faces were filled with determination, unaware of what they were about to face.
He picked out the ones he could name: Rick Harris, his wife Lorelai, Jerry Flanders, Troy Scott, Lucy O’Neill, Carrie Preston, Jordyn Atwood, Allison Carter, Red Evans, Nolan Thomas, Erin Simpson and her husband Michael, Leonard Cooke, George Martin, Tim Nately, Joe Smith, and many others. Person after person, they lined the downtown square. He was surprised, honestly, by their numbers. It looked to be about two hundred people, maybe more. They looked proud, standing arm in arm. If only they knew what was coming.
He pulled up the screen on his desktop, letting excitement fill him. Pulsing hit his fingertips, spreading through his temples and down to his toes. It was time.
Send.
Chapter
Twenty-Three
Jordyn
Jordyn held Allie’s arm tight, looking down at Carrie and Rick in the line. Rick had brought more than thirty men with him, and they’d all brought their families. She was surprised to see Erin had made it, and after a tearful hello, she pulled her to her other side. The thirteen people she and Kate had recruited had all showed up, some bringing friends with them. Between all the men in Rick’s group, they’d managed to recruit an extra twenty. Carrie and Allie had rounded up twenty-eight more. Jordyn tried to keep count as people continued to join them, but eventually gave up as the number doubled and then tripled rapidly. It was empowering, being in a group this size.
As they packed into the tiny downtown square, every part of their bodies touching the person next to them, people filed out of the tiny stores to see what the commotion was all about. Onlookers stared in awe as the group paraded arm-in-arm through the square. Finally, when there was nowhere left to move, the group held their ground. They stared ahead in silence.
“What is going on?” an elderly woman asked, pulling the child she was with close to her hip.
The group was silent, each waiting for the other to answer. Jordyn felt eyes on her. She took a deep breath. “We are here today to say enough is enough! No more deaths! Our children should be free to run and play. The people of this town should be able to trust and make friends again! Our grocery stores, newspapers, hospitals should not house the Lists that sentence our children to death! Our police men and women should protect us. Enough is enough, Bates. And we’re going to stand here until the strength of the entire town is with us!” Jordyn’s voice shook with adrenaline as she spoke.
There was only silence at first, and then a slow clap from somewhere inside of a store. Jordyn squinted in the sunlight, trying to see her audience. Henry hobbled out of the pharmacy, looking much better than he had this morning. Eventually, the crowd behind Jordyn joined in his applause. A few onlookers looked leery, but no one made a move as Henry made his way across the sidewalk to join the crowd, smiling proudly at Jordyn. When he reached her, he held her face in his hands for a moment. “I’m sorry, kiddo. I didn’t mean what I said.”
She nodded. “I know.” She hugged him back and made room for him beside her.
A voice called out from the side of the crowd. She recognized Officer Sullivan from her earlier meeting. “Ms. Atwood? What are you doing? There’s no need for this.” He addressed the crowd. “You all need to go home. Go home or just carry on with your shopping. We don’t need this scene here.”
“We don’t need this?” A voice rang out from the crowd. “We don’t? One hundred twenty seven. One hundred and twenty seven deaths in ten years. Bates loses more kids each year than any other city in South Carolina, most of which are three times our size! There are only thirty-six hundred of us, Daniel. If we keep going like this, there won’t be enough of us left to carry on. There is a need.”
The crowd parted and Jordyn could make out the top of a head moving through the crowd. Mumbles rang out.
“Melissa?” Sullivan asked, his face radiating pure horror. “Melissa, you shouldn’t be here. You know you shouldn’t be out.”
Jordyn finally caught a glimpse of her face, recognizing her as the woman whose house she and Kate had just been kicked out of. Walking out of the crowd and toward Sullivan, she shook her head. “I’m so sick of everyone in this town telling me where to be and what to do. I’m done listening. You all live your lives so afraid of what this monster will do, who’ll be next. When I warned you, I warned you all what he was capable of all those years ago. I begged you.” She faced the crowd. “I begged you to help me. But no one would. Not one of you was willing to fight for this town with me. Not one.” Her eyes scanned the crowd, locking on Jordyn’s. “Until her. An outsider. An outsider willing to fight for a town most of us gave up on ten years ago.”
The crowd was silent, staring at her. She took a step toward Jordyn and spoke again. “Now, I don’t know about the rest of you, but I am sick of living this way. I want it done, over with. He stole everything from me. My home, my husband, my children.” Her voice cracked as she spoke. “We can put an end to this today, but it has to be all of us.”
The crowd began mumbling in hushed tones, looking around. The woman grew closer to Jordyn.
“Excuse me, but do you mean you actually know who’s behind this?” she asked.
Melissa frowned. “In order to tell you that, I have to tell you a few things first.”
Before she could speak, the crowd was consumed by immediate commotion. Cellphones began ringing all at once. Jordyn felt hers vibrating in her pocket, but she couldn’t take her eyes off of Melissa, who seemed to feel the same way.
“I loved him,” she shouted over the crowd, so that Jordyn could barely hear her.
Carrie tugged at
Jordyn’s shoulder. “Jordyn. You have to see this.”
Annoyed, Jordyn broke eye contact, pulling out her phone. The text message read:
Well played, Bates. Have to admit I’m impressed. Too bad the joke’s on you. You’re all in for a massive surprise. At exactly 12:34, look up at the rooftop over Bernie’s Grill. I can’t wait to let you in on a little secret. Here’s a hint: The true killer walks among you.
The town was in shock, a massive uproar rang out and chaos ensued.
“What does this mean?”
“What have we done?”
“Should we leave?”
“What’s going to happen?”
“We’re all going to die!”
“Did you get it too?”
Jordyn turned to face the crowd. “Everyone! Please calm down! Just keep calm!” Her voice didn’t carry over the crowd, the few people that heard her only stared at her in confusion.
“Hey!” Henry bellowed, his voice echoing through the square. “Shut up! Panicking isn’t going to help. Put your phones down! Let’s listen to what the woman has to say! Right now, our best defense is knowledge. We’re all armed. Their best hope is that we all panic, which is exactly what you’re all doing.”
“His,” Melissa corrected.
“Huh?” Henry looked down at her.
“His best hope. Him. It’s just one person.”
“There’s no way,” Carrie said.
Melissa shrugged.
“Look,” someone yelled, pointing to the sky. Everyone turned to look up. On top of the shortest building in the square was a small woman with blonde hair. Cecilia.
A few guns came out of their holsters, but no one made a move. Cecilia held up her hands, showing that she wasn’t armed, but instead held only a piece of paper. She began reading, screaming out so that her voice could be heard. “The person behind the attacks would like to demonstrate how in control he is.” She closed her eyes for a moment and reopened them. “He has cameras in every part of this town. He is watching us all, right now.” She looked around anxiously, as if to prove her point. “He says that if things go smoothly, we can all go back to normal. If everyone goes home quietly. If not, he has planted snipers in five buildings here. Friends of his. People ready to kill us all.”
The List (The Carolina Killer Files Book 2) Page 17
