I struggle against the strong arms that pin me to a rock-hard chest, but it’s useless. I can’t get my face and nose away from the sweet scent that is slowly causing me to feel lightheaded. My limbs start to feel heavy, and then the fight begins to leave my body.
NO! This can’t be happening! Not to me!
As my body begins to collapse, I feel myself being lifted up and then unceremoniously tossed over a shoulder.
Then the blackness arrives.
* * *
The first thing I feel is drops of rain on my face. What in the world? My brain is foggy, and I feel a bit nauseous. Slowly, I start becoming more aware of my body. I’m lying on my back, and I feel wet everywhere, causing me to shiver.
Something is still dripping onto my face, and I try to reach up to wipe it away, but my hands don’t seem to want to work. I try to lift my right one, and that’s when I realize something has my wrists secured together.
Why would my hands be bound?
I force my eyelids open and immediately blink as more drops hit me in the face. I see darkness, and after a few more blinks and some squinting, I realize I am looking up at a black sky.
I’m outside?
I gasp and look around to find that I’m lying on a crinkly tarp of some kind. I manage to force myself into a sitting position, and the movement has me fighting the urge to vomit as I gaze blearily at my body. I’m wearing a black, slinky dress that is way too sexy and definitely not something I’d ever choose to wear. It’s ridden high up on my thighs, and I use my bound hands to shove it back down. My ankles are tied, and I see that I am wearing black, spikey heels as well.
Feeling alarmed, my head whips around as I take in my surroundings. It looks like I am in a clearing of some sort, and trees surround the area from all sides. It’s dark since it’s late, but there’s a light coming from a lantern about ten feet away.
My eyes widen, and my lips part at the sight that greets me.
There’s a huge pile of dirt, but I can’t see what’s on the other side or beyond it. It sounds like someone is…digging. If I squint, I can see dirt joining the pile. It doesn’t take long for me to realize that someone is digging a grave.
My grave.
I frantically begin tugging on the rope that binds my wrists, but the knot won’t give. My hair is plastered to my head from the rain, and I try to shake it out of my eyes as I bring the knot to my lips so I can pull on it with my teeth.
That’s when I hear a grunt and a loud thud, like the sound of something opening or closing.
Oh no. I’m not going to just wait around for someone else to decide my fate. I clumsily rise to my feet, knowing I can’t really go anywhere until my feet are untied, but I refuse to make any of this easy for whoever has me.
“You look beautiful.”
I freeze and look up.
Owen stands there holding the lantern. He’s wearing a black hoodie with the hood up to shelter his head from the rain, and his lower body is clad in dark jeans and boots. A tool belt hangs off his slim hips, and a shovel is laying discarded on the ground not too far away.
“Owen?” I ask with dumbfounded amazement.
He smiles almost affectionately. “I’ll make it as painless as possible.” He steps closer to me, and I feel frozen, unable to move as he touches my damp face. “Emmaline deserved everything she got, but you don’t. You can’t help that Dane has a thing for Cord’s girls. It’s not your fault, but I can’t have him turning to you like he turned to that bitch.”
“You killed Emmaline?” I whisper, wishing that he’d stop caressing my wet cheek.
His smile widens as his hand retreats. “It’s not every day one gets to live out their most gruesome horror fantasy.”
My stomach turns over. “But…”
Owen’s eyes darken. “She wanted to fuck him, and he let her, so she had to go. My only regret is that I wasn’t thinking that it’d fall back on Dane and Cord when I dumped her remains in the creek.” His expression softens. “I won’t do that to you, Krista. You’re special.”
“Owen, Dane never wanted to be with her. She’d found out about—”
“I saw them screwing!” he cuts in, his voice rising with his anger. “I saw, because I was there at the store. I dropped in to help him close, and I found them in the fitting rooms. They never knew I was there, and I heard them going at it. He was enjoying it!” he spats. Then he visibly calms, and his eyes travel over me. “I’ve seen the way he looks at you. He wants you too,” he says as his expression turns pained. “He watches you when you don’t think he is. If you’re wearing a short skirt, his eyes are glued to your ass when you walk away.” He swallows hard and continues. “He’s always hovering around you too, always so quick to defend you if someone gives you a hard time at the store. Then there’s the scheduling. He’s been deliberately keeping you and Cord separated so that he can spend time with you without Cord being in the way. I notice everything that goes on in that store, Krista.”
“It’ll never happen, Owen,” I say desperately. “I’m seeing Cord, only Cord.”
He shakes his head. “He was ready to make a move on you in the bathroom when you cut your finger. Don’t think I didn’t notice how close he was standing to you, much closer than necessary. I’m not a fool,” he says flatly.
“You can’t kill me!”
“I killed Emmaline and got away with it. This time, I’ve thought it all out better. No one’s ever going to find your body. You’ll just go missing, permanently.”
I know I need to keep him talking to stall this from happening. Dane knows something bad went down outside my house, and if he thinks over the oddness of our conversation, he might just realize Owen has something planned for me since I wasn’t the one to buy the dress and heels.
The rain has seeped deep into my skin, and I shiver as I stand there, my hands bound before me as I scramble to find a way to distract Owen from his original intention. “The police cleared you from the night of the murder. How…?”
Owen shrugs as he swipes at a drop of rain trickling down his nose. “My parents are old and easy to manipulate. They lied for me.”
“But if you’re using them as your alibi for a second murder, don’t you think that seems a tad suspicious?” I point out. “The police will look further into your alibi because of you being a coworker.”
“They won’t be lying this time. Once I’m finished here, I’m headed back out of town again to spend the weekend with them. They think I’m in their basement at the house right now, sleeping off a cold.” He shrugs at me, looking unconcerned. “I spend one weekend a month with my parents, so it shouldn’t look odd, and if it does, there’s not much the police can do about it. Without a body, motive, or evidence, I walk. Again.”
I try to stop my teeth from chattering as I ask, “How did you know that my mom and Mitch would be out this evening?”
He smiles. “I told you, I’ve thought everything out this time. I figured out a while ago that every Saturday is date night for them. All I had to do tonight was follow them and puncture their tire before going to your house to wait for you.”
“Owen, you don’t want to do this,” I insist. “The police will suspect Cord and Dane. You’ll hurt them all over again.”
“No, they’ll suspect your stepbrother,” he says simply as he watches my expression, waiting for it to sink in.
So someone had been setting up Riley. “It was you who put the blood all over my car, wasn’t it?”
“I slipped out the back when I knew you and Dane were too busy to notice. Then I tossed the empty containers in the trunk of my car.”
I try to wiggle my wrist beneath the rope that’s binding it to my other one. I’m trying to loosen the rope without being too obvious. “Why did you do it?” I ask.
“I knew you were having problems with your stepbrother, so I figured he’d be the first person you’d blame. I was hoping maybe you’d quit, but even if you didn’t, I knew the prank happening on the store’s premis
es would have Dane tempted to let you go. Even though he’s been tempted to screw you behind Cord’s back, I knew the store would come first. At least it should have worked out that way,” he says darkly.
“If you wanted me gone, why try talking Dane out of firing me?”
“I knew there was a chance I’d have to get rid of you myself, so I didn’t want to say anything that would bring suspicion my way once you disappeared.”
“Even if Dane had fired me, I still would have seen him at the house when I was with Cord.” The nerves twisting in my gut are tightening around my chest as I realize the rope is too secure to loosen. I need to figure a way out of this mess, because sooner or later, Owen’s going to grow bored with talking.
“I’m well aware of that. My first plan of action was to try to get you out of the store, which is where Dane spends the majority of his time. Once that was accomplished, I planned on breaking you and Cord up.”
“What was the point of running me off the road? What if I’d confronted you instead?” I ask.
I blink the drops of rain out of my lashes and try to look around the area without being too obvious. Are there houses nearby? If I screamed, would anyone hear? I don’t see anything but darkness amongst the trees, and the clearing we’re standing in is silent except for the rhythmic sounds of the rain falling, and our voices. Owen looks relaxed, his stance wide as he holds the lantern and patiently answers my questions. This tells me that screaming is probably futile. If he’s confident no one is going to hear us or interrupt us, it’s likely there is no one around for miles.
“I had a mask on, guaranteeing that you would run off the second you saw it. It was just another tactic to bring more suspicion on Riley. Do you know how easy it is to keep track of someone in Ambler Ridge? Everybody is always up in everyone else’s business. Learning Riley’s typical schedule wasn’t all that difficult. Same with Lydia Channing. She usually goes out in the evenings with friends to drink away her sorrows and doesn’t come back until late. Riley tends to be back home by nine-thirty on school nights.” He looks amused. “That’s actually a little surprising to me, but hey, who cares as long as it works to my benefit. I knew by the time you drove home from the store that night, he’d be home all alone. Running you off the road would make it seem like Riley’s animosity for you was escalating.” He grins. “Now you’re here, about to die, and Riley will be blamed for your disappearance, and Dane and Cord will be in the clear this time. This couldn’t have worked out any better.”
“What if Riley has an alibi for tonight?” I ask with growing anxiety.
“He doesn’t,” he says confidently. “I’ve got him driving around on a wild goose chase with some random texts that have been sent to him.”
He really does have this all thought out. I shiver as my gaze shifts to the pile of dirt that hides my soon-to-be grave on the other side. How do I stop this from happening?
“You can’t go around killing every girl you suspect Dane is attracted to,” I tell him.
He looks at me with regret. “I really didn’t want to kill you, Krista. I just wanted you out of Dane’s life, and I did everything I could to accomplish that, but nothing worked. You leave me no choice. If someone new comes along that tempts him like you have, I’ll worry about it when that time comes.”
“Dane has never made a move on me, Owen. I swear it!”
He shakes his head, shifting his weight on his feet. “He wants you, and it’s only a matter of time before he can’t resist the temptation.” He frowns at me. “What I can’t understand is how Dane and Cord never frightened you. I’m sure you heard the rumors, how was it possible for you to ignore them?” he asks curiously.
“I don’t know,” I say honestly. “I just started to get to know Cord, and none of that stuff seemed to matter.”
Owen wipes his face again, looking regretful. “I like that kid and want to see him happy. It’s too bad Dane can’t seem to keep his dick in his pants.”
“If you think he can’t be faithful, why stay?” I ask, trying to drag this conversation out as long as possible. It’s coming to an end though, I can feel it. My time is running out.
“I love him. He’s the only one I want, and I know I can make him happy.”
“Owen, I swear to you that he never wanted Emmaline, she was threatening him,” I insist as I gaze at him, imploring him to believe me.
“I don’t care what the reason was, he still enjoyed it.”
“You should have confronted Dane. He would have told you everything.”
Owen sighs and switches the lantern to his other hand. “I know Dane well enough to know that he would have been pissed that I’d spied on him. I wasn’t going to take that chance.”
“If he ever finds out that you were behind my disappearance, you’ll lose him,” I warn, trying to get him to second guess his decision.
His eyes turn determined. “That’s a chance I’m willing to take. Come see what I’ve made for you.” He grabs me before I can try to dodge him, and I struggle as he physically drags me along. The lantern that he’s still gripping in one hand clinks against my elbow, causing pain to shoot up through my arm.
The second he brings me beyond the large pile of dirt, I spy the coffin down in the six foot grave he’s dug. Its lid is open, and the inside is lined with what looks like satin since it gleams in the light from the lantern. A small pillow has also been situated inside it as well.
I am absolutely terror-stricken as I stare down at the coffin. This is my worst nightmare come to life. Instinct has me turning, trying to flee, but Owen’s arms tighten around me, holding me in place.
He squeezes me almost affectionately. “I made it just for you, and I even lined it with satin so it would be nice and soft. Unfortunately, I didn’t plan for the rain, so it’s wet,” he says with disappointment.
Okay, now I’m starting to really panic. My heart is racing in my chest, and my breathing has grown ragged. “Owen, you can’t do this! I’ll leave town! I’ll go away!” I promise desperately.
“Cord will just follow you, and Dane loves him too much to just let him go off on his own. Like it or not, you’re a problem for me, Krista.”
I gaze at him as I feel tears stinging my eyes. “Please, Owen. Don’t do this to me. Please!”
He looks at me with genuine sadness. “I am truly sorry. I won’t draw this out any longer.” He physically drags me to the edge and pushes me before I can prepare for it.
I fall into the coffin, screaming as my body hits the inside of it painfully. Lightly padded or not, it’s not meant to cushion a fall like the one I’d just taken. The breath is knocked from my lungs, and I lie there, struggling to draw in precious oxygen. I can’t breathe!
Owen drops down into the grave before I can try to sit up, and he flattens a hand on my chest as he pins me down. He then braces his feet on the sides of the dirt above the coffin, reaching for the lid. He looks down at me, the hood causing his face to look dark as the fabric prevents the lantern light from above from touching his face. “I really liked you, too. Goodbye, Krista.” With a grunt, he slams the lid down after quickly removing his hand.
I’m encased in darkness just as my lungs begin to function again. I let loose a terrified scream and slam my hands against the wooden surface above me. The lid shakes, but it won’t open. It creaks above me, and I realize that Owen is sitting or standing on it.
“Owen!! Let me out!” I beg at the top of my lungs as I pummel the lid with my bound hands.
I hear something, and I fall silent as I try to decipher the sound. Then I realize Owen is pounding a nail into the edge of the coffin. My head jerks towards the sound, and then another one comes. He’s securing the edges of the coffin with nails.
“Owen!”
“Relax,” he soothes from above me, his voice muffled. “I’m just securing it the best way I can so that the bugs in the ground can’t get to you. I want you to remain as you are, attractive and untouched. You do realize the more you scream, the more
oxygen you’re using up, don’t you?”
“I’ll do anything, Owen! Anything! Please let me out!” I beg hysterically.
He ignores me, and the sound of nails being pounded into the wood echoes around me in the darkness. With each nail I hear, I know it’s bringing me closer to death. Owen’s right, I’m going to run out of oxygen soon.
I bring my knees up and slam them into the lid, trying to fight my way out of the coffin. My throat goes raw as I scream, and I scratch at the surface several inches above my face, feeling slivers digging into the tender pads on my fingers while my nails break painfully. There is no staying calm in this situation, and I fight hopelessly for my freedom and my life.
I can’t die in here! I can’t!
Eventually, my voice cracks and gives out, and I’m left in silence but for my erratic breathing. My entire body has gone clammy, and my heart is still racing so fast in my chest that I am having a hard time catching my breath. It’s then that I realize the pounding of the nails has stopped, and now I can hear the muffled thud of dirt being shoveled on top of the coffin.
All the fight leaves me, and I go limp as tears stream down my temples. I’m going to die. This is torture waiting to be suffocated, and the claustrophobia has my heart beating triple time.
The rhythmic sound of the dirt being tossed on the lid stops.
He can’t possibly be done yet.
I listen intently, my ears straining.
Wait—is that shouting?
Then I let out a frightened gasp as something heavy drops down onto the lid above me. “Krista!”
I go completely still when I hear the muffled sound of Cord’s voice. Am I hallucinating now? Am I so desperate to be saved from death that I am envisioning a rescue?
The lid above me shakes and something slams into it again. “Krista!”
WHO KILLED EMMALINE? Page 21
