by Shawn Wall
When she woke, she sat up in bed, but Seth didn't notice. He wasn't typing anymore and looked like he was studying something.
“Why haven't I thought of that?"
"What?"
"I could have a class with this murderer. I assumed with his increased knowledge of anatomy that he would be a third year at least. He could just be very smart."
She wondered if his visions had shown him what she had seen. At first he had not told her all the details from his last vision. Indeed, he could be very easily hiding them from her again after all, she hadn’t noticed anything before. He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he hadn't realized she was startled when she woke. So, this time, she kept her mouth shut and didn't tell him about her dream.
She nonchalantly turned on the television, wanting to watch the weather. It was the last day of February, and the temperatures had been in the low forties, not cold enough for snow. She had some time. Her dream was of the future, and she knew the Sunday weather would forecast for the week. There must be a front coming through, the last cold snap of the year. She didn't really know what she was going to do, but she knew that Seth couldn't go on this way. Recently, he had become more and more obsessed with this murderer. It was all he thought about, and it had literally taken him over. In reality, this was destroying them, and everything beautiful and pure they once had was tainted by these murders. Wrapping up the weather report, the meteorologist said the Magnolia area had a fifty percent chance of snow Tuesday evening. This would give her two days to make plans.
"Wow, snow in March. That's going to be a record for south Arkansas." Seth said. "You couldn't sleep. Are you all right?" Then, he came to the bed and sat by her.
"I'm okay, just bored." She yawned, trying not to look suspicious. She didn't like hiding things from him, and she had to turn away. Although this plan was for his benefit, she couldn’t look him in the eyes. He only wanted to protect her.
Tuesday morning, while Seth was in the shower, she called her grandmother. It was easy to get her excited about shopping, going out on the town. Even though they would be gone into the evening, Seth would let her go with her grandmother. He assumed she was safe because the killer had only attacked women who were alone and only on campus. After Anatomy lab, she quickly gathered her books, and headed to pick up her grandmother. Of course, Seth followed her on his motorcycle. He kissed her goodbye. "Call me when you drop your grandmother off, and I'll meet you." Even off campus, he didn't want her to be alone.
Suzanne enjoyed spending time with her grandmother. In some way, Grandmother could see how Seth had healed her. Though it wasn’t spoken, Suzanne knew she had forgiven her horrid actions toward Dwight. After Grandmother bought her a spring outfit, they drank cappuccinos at a local coffee house. It was turning dusk, and her grandmother was getting tired, so it wasn’t hard to convince her to call it a day.
The afternoon had been windy and had turned unusually cold. The front was coming in, and by the time she delivered her home, there were a few snow flurries falling.
"I love you, Grandma. I had better get back to school.”
She quickly headed back to campus and did not call Seth. He would be furious with her, but she had to do this. Now as she drove closer to campus, she was getting nervous and scared. What was she really going to do if she saw the monster? If she could only see his face, maybe she could identify him. In her dream, he didn't kidnap the girl. Perhaps tonight, there would be time to save her. The dream had revealed that she needed to head for the courtyard. Not wanting Seth to notice her car, she parked in front of Overstreet Hall. When she could see the light from the bell tower above the buildings, she headed toward it and used it as her guide. Now, the snow was falling heavier, much like in her dream, and she knew she had to hurry. Finally, she reached the edge of the courtyard and could see no one. Was she too late?
In her dream, the brunette had been walking in front of the Art building, so she decided she’d hide behind the bushes across from it, and maybe she could wait to see from there. She slumped quietly, her heart raced, and her breathing became faster. Okay, she was scared now. The snowflakes were getting thicker, sticking to the dry ground. Then, a hand was over her mouth, and she couldn’t scream as her throat closed. The other hand wrapped around her waist, pulling her body back toward him.
A whispery voice in her right ear said, "Just what do you think you are doing, Suzanne?" His tone was deep and stern.
Thank God, the familiar voice, even in anger, was soothing. It was Seth. How did he know where she was? There was no time to ask him. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the brunette quickly walking down the sidewalk after leaving the Art building. She saw the culprit behind her, and the light of the bell tower shined brightly upon him. He was not wearing his mask tonight, but his head was turned, and she couldn’t see his face. She wondered if Seth could recognize him.
"Stay right here and don't move a muscle. Do you hear me?" Seth said.
She could only nod as Seth darted around the bushes. The stalker quickly hid, trying not to be seen. The young girl had never even known she was being followed.
Suzanne slunk behind the bush and stayed in the exact spot Seth told her. As she watched him approach the brunette, the girl was terrified at first, but now she would be safe. Suzanne wondered if she could remember the moment that had been the catalyst for the horrific events that had plagued them these last few months. More importantly, she questioned what this chain of events had set into motion in her life. If she were honest with herself, it had begun over four years ago, when she was a naïve, selfish teenager. She was lost in thought when suddenly a cloth was over her mouth and large arms restrained her body. Unable to move or scream, her heart seemed to hammer in her chest. Struggling for oxygen, she took a deep breath almost sucking in the piece of cloth. The predator had seized her instead of the brunette. She was alone with no savior and realized this could be the end for her. As she fell into unconsciousness, she could only see the light of the tower fading away, and she drifted into a dream.
Chapter Eight
The girl seemed relieved to see him.
“At first, I thought you were the campus rapist. No offense."
“Let’s get my girlfriend and get out of here.”
Seth walked back toward the bushes.
“You can come out now. He’s gone.”
Suzanne wasn’t there. He began calling her name and circling the bushes where he left her. Where is she? He was frantic. His heart raced, beating so hard he felt it could explode out of his chest. Now, his breathing was so rapid he began to pant as the cold air stung his lungs. He searched every bush in the courtyard, but there was no sign of her. The snow continued falling heavily, hiding any footsteps he might have followed. She wouldn’t have left. Next, he ran toward the parking lot behind the Art building. His heart didn’t want to know what his mind was telling him. The parking lot was empty, and there were fresh tire tracks leading to the street.
“Did you see anything?” His tone was throaty as asked the brunette, and then began searching his pockets for his cell. He must have lost it in all the commotion.
“No, I never saw her.”
“Run to the library. There’s a pay phone out front. Dial 911. Tell the operator the bell tower stalker has struck again.”
She looked at him with terrified eyes but didn’t hesitate running for the library. Seth rushed back to the tower. There must be some clue. He must keep searching. If he stopped to breathe, he’d crash. The door at the bottom of the tower looked like it had been jarred. He looked inside the opening, hoping for any miracle. The floor was concrete and very dark with a ladder on the side of the wall leading up to the belfry. There was nothing, no clues. How could she vanish into thin air? He was only a few feet from her. His throat tightened, and he knew he could not speak. Maybe a man wasn’t supposed to cry, but he could feel his eyes were watery.
His heart was broken, and his entire life was gone in an instant. That bastard. If he
touched her or hurt her in any way, Seth would kill him. He would find her if it was the last thing he did. His legs were weak from the thoughts he could not bear to think, and Suzanne was with the monster that has taken the other victims. It can’t happen to her, oh God in heaven, please, of all these visions, give me something to save her. He could hear the sirens coming closer as the brunette ran back toward him, breathless. Neither of them spoke as they waited. Then, two officers approached with guns in the air.
“Young lady, did you call 911?” one of the officers asked.
“Yes, sir, a young woman has been taken by the rapist.”
Seth felt sick in the pit of his stomach just hearing her say the words. Oh, my Suzanne. He found the courage to speak.
“It’s my girlfriend, and her name is Suzanne Foster. It has been no more than fifteen minutes. I saw tire tracks in the parking lot behind the Art building, and I think they must be his. We didn’t see any vehicle, but I did get a fairly good glance at the guy before he ducked into the bushes.”
One of the officers went back to his car. Seth assumed he was radioing for help. The other officer asked them both to stay where they were, and he surveyed the area for clues, coming up with none.
“Officer, I noticed the door to the tower was jarred.” Seth thought anything might help.
The officer searched the tower, scanning with his flashlight.
“Here is something interesting. Son, did you walk inside the tower?”
“No, sir, I only checked inside to see if she was there.”
“The concrete is wet, probably from melting snow, and there are peanut shells all over the floor. He might have used the tower to hide.”
“What are we going to do?” Seth swallowed hard, trying to prevent his voice from shaking.
“I am going do everything possible to find her. We need to contact her family. I want you to come to the station and work with a sketch artist. You may be the break we need.”
Although the officer’s words were meant to comfort him, nothing could. The police didn’t seem to be working fast enough to him. They should be searching for her, not wasting one minute. What must be going through her mind? He couldn’t even imagine. He should have protected her. That was his job. He failed her miserably, and he didn’t deserve her. If anything happened, he wouldn’t be able to handle it. Get a grip, Seth, focus. He had to remain calm.
The officer questioned the brunette and Seth about the incident. Then, he was escorted to the police station to work with the sketch artist and asked to describe the criminal. Until this moment, he hadn’t thought about what the guy looked. He had a stocky build, about six foot tall, brown hair. Seth wasn’t sure what color his eyes were. The artist asked him in detail about any facial features he could remember, type of nose, mouth, shape of eyes. He looked through a book of templates of different facial types and realized he might have seen this guy before. The artist quickly retrieved an officer.
“Seth, I’m Detective Brown. I’ll be leading the search. The artist said you think you recognized this man.”
“Yes, I know he is a student. I’ve seen him on campus somewhere. I think he may have been in my Chemistry I class last semester, and I may have seen him at a party. I can’t be sure, but for some reason, I think he could be on the football team. I wish I knew more.” He knew he was rambling, and he never rambled.
“That’s somewhere to start. There is no time to waste. We have called other counties for help, but it will be morning before they all arrive. This is a small station, not many officers. We’re going to organize civilian search teams, and from what the officers on scene have told me, I am not going to be able to keep you away. If you work with me, maybe she will be one the one we save.”
“I’ll do whatever you want. Just please find her.”
The artist showed him the final sketch, and Seth knew for sure he had seen the guy. His face was definitely familiar, and Seth didn’t know why the guy made the mistake of not wearing a mask. Maybe he was just getting cocky. Next, the officers quickly made copies of the sketch and of a picture of Suzanne Seth had kept in his wallet. A deep ache filled his chest as he looked at her smiling face. When she wasn’t looking, he had taken the picture during their trip to Petit Jean. How beautiful she looked with the snow falling around her. What if he never got to see her smile again? What if he could never touch her blushing cheeks or kiss her soft lips? He couldn’t think the worst because somehow they would find her.
Suzanne’s parents arrived, and they were frantic with worry, just as he was. By now, the search teams assembled in the large parking area across from the police station. There were at least fifty people. He was impressed that they could organize so quickly. Detective Brown stood in front of the crowd with a bullhorn.
“We will be focusing on Lake Columbia. Each group will be assigned a landing. We will be searching the docks, boat ramps, camping areas, and any cabins. We believe this is where he has taken her. All the victims were dumped there, and I believe they were killed close by. My officers will be searching surrounding rural homes. We are not sure what type of vehicle he is driving at this point. I want pairs of at least two, with one walkie-talkie to each pair. Civilians, please do not approach the suspect by yourself. Immediately call for help. We believe the suspect is armed and quite obviously dangerous. We don’t want him to think he is cornered and make a hasty mistake with this young woman. I want to bring back a survivor this time. Are there any questions?”
There were three school buses parked for carrying all the volunteers. If Seth had his bike he would be there already. He shouldn’t have ridden to the station with the cop. He felt absolutely worthless as bile roared up his throat, nauseating him. Full of disgust and loathing, he headed for the line loading the first bus.
“Seth.” He turned to see Detective Brown waving him his way.
“I will not tolerate any heroics. Do you understand me? We will find her, but the goal is to bring her back safely. If you see anything, you wait for us. Don’t be stupid. I understand you care for this girl and you seem like a smart kid.”
“I have to help search, but I will not do anything to jeopardize her life. That I can promise you.”
He quickly grabbed a walkie-talkie and headed for the buses. The first was full already, so he ended up on the second. He sat about halfway down the aisle. There were a few people in their twenties, but most them were about his parents’ ages. He thought all these people probably helped to find the other victims. This was good though. More searchers would increase the chance of finding her. With nothing else to do, he sat alone with his head down. Being still like this would give him time to think, and he might break down and cry. If he did, he didn’t want anyone to see it. Then, he heard a familiar voice call his name, and it broke his train of thought.
“Seth.”
“Tray, dude, what are you doing here?”
“My dad is a first responder. When I heard it was Suzanne, I had to come. I just can’t believe it. We can pair up.”
“Man, I don’t know if we need to be partners. No offense.” He shook his head as he gave him a wary glance.
“I don’t see why not. I mean I should be the one with the problem. She left me because of you. I can’t help it if I care about her. I can’t turn off the way I feel. If something happens to her, man, I can’t even think about it.”
Seth shouldn’t be shocked. After all, he knew the guy had fallen for her. Only God knew the power she had over him, and she could have any man she wanted down on his knees for her.
“I know. It makes me sick, and it’s my fault, you know? I shouldn’t have left her side. I will never forgive myself if something happens to her.” “Seth, you can’t think like that. We just have to focus on finding her.”
“What is taking so long? They are wasting time. We need to start searching already.”
“My dad is friends with the sheriff. I know that there are already officers searching by the lake. I think their combing door-to-door at t
his point.”
“I tell you, if I had my bike, I would be there already.”
“I drove my dad’s truck. Let’s go.” Tray motioned toward the parking lot.
Seth got off the bus and followed Tray. He didn’t like the thought of having to work with him. Thinking about her time with him made Seth jealous, even now. Seth knew Suzanne loved him, but the thought of someone else touching her made him crazy. Even though he didn’t want to admit it, working together was a good idea. Maybe the fact that Tray cared about her would help, and he would be more determined. This was best for her, and that was all that mattered. Tray drove as fast as he could toward Lake Columbia, heading to the northern section of the lake.
“Why are we going this way?” Seth asked. “We don’t really know where to even start.”
“You know I’ve lived around here all my life. Just trust me. I know this area pretty well.”
Seth raised his voice. “We can’t take any chances. This is Suzanne.” He could feel his muscles were strained. Every nerve in his body wrecked, and he knew was beginning to lose it.
“Man, calm down. Like I said, I was raised around here. I probably know this area as well as any of those officers. Just trust me.”
“Explain.”
“This is not a natural lake, and before it was developed, there were a least a hundred homes here. Many were torn down, but there were twenty or so cabins on the north side left standing. Most are down gravel roads and only used for summer rentals. If he has her here, my bet is it’s in one of those cabins. This guy isn’t stupid. He has evaded the police for two murders. He certainly has more sense than I thought he did.”
