A Kiss With Death

by Frances Hoelsema

  It was the ‘coach’. Chris Peterson.

  Laura woke up, trembling.

  CHAPTER 18

  I

  n the parking lot, she waited. Eyes covered in sunglasses were focused on the doors of the building, anticipating Mr. Peterson’s exit. It had to be any moment now. This would have been so much easier if she had a way of contacting him or if she knew where he lived. But it was what it was. She would do what she had to do to take care of him once and for all.

  A man came through the glass doors. Pulling her sunglasses down to get a good look, it was evident that it was him, the man she came to pay a visit to. She eyed him all the way to his car, and as he left the parking lot, she slowly did as well. Following him might be a bit tricky, as she’s never done this before. But one way or another, today would be Chris’s last day.

  He was driving out a bit farther than she had hoped. But luckily, he didn’t seem to notice she was behind him. Now and then she would allow space or another vehicle to get between them, but she always kept her eye on the prize. And thankfully that prize was leading her right to his house, a good place as any to finish him off.

  The car pulled up a driveway somewhere out in the country. She had sped by at first. But no more than a quarter mile down the road did she find the space to turn around and head back. Inching ever closer to his place, she stopped where there were still enough trees to block her vehicle. Turning off the car, she paused. Watched. There was no one else around. No cars were coming or going. The next house was who knows where. This was going to be good.

  She removed her sunglasses. There wasn’t a lot of daylight left. Another good thing. However, she did have other places to be so couldn’t waste too much time. Carefully, she made her way up to the house, making sure her purse was strapped around her shoulders. Entering through the front door wouldn’t be as fun. There wouldn’t be as much of a surprise factor. Perhaps there was a back entrance. She took a couple of minutes to walk the whole perimeter. There was a back door, but that was to a garage. That would just end up back at the front of the house. No good. There did appear to be a sliding door off a back deck. If it was locked, that would be no good, either. She would never know unless she tried, though.

  She was in luck. Twice! First was with the door being unlocked. The second was that everything was dark. She entered the dining room/kitchen and decided this would be where she stayed until he found her. And imagine the look on his face when he did! Surprise, surprise! An evil laugh escaped from within. This was her guilty pleasure.

  While meandering through the kitchen, she listened intently for his whereabouts. She needed to be smart about this. So far it seemed like he was upstairs. Heavy footsteps were heard along the ceiling. There was also whistling. She had no idea that he whistled, but that would soon come to an end.

  On the refrigerator she noticed some pictures of his family. Or what she assumed was his family. It was cute, she guessed. Nothing spectacular, though. Opening the cold box, she saw a lot of milk, eggs, and cheese. There were also a couple containers that she supposed were leftovers of pasta. Way in the back were some cans of beer. The door was full of condiments, and there were a few fruits and vegetables in the drawers down below. She had seen enough of that. Time to move on.

  By the stove was a small counter. On top were protein bars and bottles of pills. Probably steroids. No wonder he always looked so bulky. Over on the other side were knives. That was good to know. In case something went wrong, she could always stab him to death.

  There were footsteps thudding down the stairway. She had to quickly figure out where to go. Sitting on a chair by the table seemed doable. That way she looked nonchalant. Invited even. Her heart started to beat slightly faster, the thrill of all that was about to take place exciting her.

  The light switch flipped on. And there she was. Her legs were crossed. She was leaning back, tapping her fingers, one by one, over and over, on the wood. Her smile was devious.

  With as calm as she was, he was equally the opposite. He jumped back at least an inch. “What are you doing here?” Chris asked.

  She decided not to answer at first. Her mind kept going back and forth on two things. One being his body. His shirt was tight, and she could see every muscle in his chest. She wondered what it would be like to touch them. And those pants. He filled them out pretty good. She wondered if he was a good lover. The second thing she considered was how long she was going to let him live. Standing up, she decided it was time to approach. It would need to be cautiously. So, she kept a smile, remained tranquil, and tried to be polite. With each step, she said, “Oh, you know…it’s about becoming dean.”

  Chris moved back a couple of steps in an effort to defend himself. His face twisted. “What about it? I deserve that promotion.”

  She pursed her lips. “Maybe. Maybe not.” She walked closer to him, one hand on the purse.

  He looked where her hand was, stepping back again. Looking back at her, he said, “Look, I don’t know what you want, but I’m not afraid to call the cops. Plus, my wife will be here any minute.”

  “I…don’t…care,” she seethed. She was now close enough to get him. With her hands, she lunged forward, grabbing his neck. It was larger than she anticipated.

  At first, he gasped for breath, but then grabbed her wrists. He was apparently stronger than she anticipated as well. The wrists were bent backward and out to her side. She would show no pain. He couldn’t win this fight.

  She brought her knee into his groin. The impact was hard. He wouldn’t have any more kids, even if he did live. Which he wouldn’t.

  Immediately falling to his knees in pain, he dropped his hold on her. She took out her syringe. Pulling his head up by the thinning hair on his head, she got the opportunity to spit in his face while stabbing him in the neck. Quickly, she stepped back.

  But Chris wasn’t done with her yet. He reached out for her leg, causing her to stumble. His hold was strong.

  Kicking as hard as she could, she knew that it was only a matter of time before he’d let go. Any minute now he’d be too weak. Or better yet, dead.

  His nails were starting to dig into her skin. He was baring his teeth, mumbling some kind of obscene threat.

  She put her foot directly into his head. There was a crack. Not one that killed him, but it made him let go. Standing up, she brushed herself off, and moved back. Her eyes stayed on him to be sure the poison worked.

  Over and over again, he writhed in pain. He groaned loudly. Then he did something that made her laugh. His arm reached out, and up popped his middle finger. What a rebel!

  At the table she sat, waiting for him to die. It only took a minute or two after he flipped her off. Longer than the others, but at least it still worked.

  Walking around him, she kicked his side. He was a goner. Raising his head by his hair one last time, she whispered, “Now you won’t be able to get in the way again.” She slammed his head down onto the linoleum.

  Looking at the clock, she knew she had to hurry. Chris’s wife could come home any minute. She wiped everything down that she could think of touching, including the refrigerator. She made up a card to put in his pocket. It took her a minute to think of what number this one was, but ran through the names of those already dead to figure out it was number five. When all looked good enough, she slipped out through the back sliding door, and quickly ran to her car, careful that no one saw her.

  She got in her car and left. There was a car coming head on that she passed. In her rearview mirror, she saw they turned into Mr. Peterson’s driveway.

  Boy, are they in for a surprise! Her lips curled up in an impish grin.

  * * *

  Laura blew her nose, crumpled the tissue up, and tossed it over to the coffee table. Since the nightmare, she had been sitting on the couch watching Hallmark movies. Occasional bouts of sadness overpowered her, and now her living room looked like a garbage truck had dumped all its contents out in it.

  The doorbell chimed. Laura fi
gured it must have been Marissa. “Come in,” her voice squeaked.

  Her friend listened, entering the home. She closed the door behind her and looked upon Laura sympathetically. “Oh, Laura, how are you holding up?” Looking once around the room answered her.

  Marissa took a seat next to Laura and put a hand around her shoulder in a side hug. Rubbing her hand up and down the side of Laura’s arm, she said, “I’m so sorry.”

  On turned the waterworks. Again. Laura grabbed another Kleenex and blew. Her nose was feeling raw. “Thanks.”

  Still beside her, holding her, Marissa asked, “Have you talked with Connor yet? Told him what is going on?”

  Laura looked at her through bloodshot eyes. “I keep trying to call him, but it always goes to voicemail.”

  “Well, I’m sure he’s busy. He’ll call when he can.”

  “Yeah, whatever.” Laura dabbed her eyes in hopes to dry them.

  Marissa withdrew her arm and put her hands on her lap. Looking over, Laura noticed she had gloves on. “It must be really cold outside?”

  “What do you mean?” Marissa asked. Her eyebrows arched inward.

  Laura nodded down toward her hands. “You have gloves on.”

  “Oh.” She quickly removed them and stashed them into her purse. Changing the focus back to Laura, she asked, “Is there anything I can do for you? I hate when you’re miserable.”

  Laura shrugged. “I don’t know. Could you perhaps stay awhile? I could use the company.”

  “I think I can. Let me just make a phone call.” Marissa stood up and walked down the hall. “I’ll be right back,” she stated over her shoulder.

  * * *

  “Hey, Garrett, it’s me,” Marissa greeted. “I’m not going to be around tonight. Laura needs me.”

  She listened to him on the other end. He wasn’t too thrilled.

  “I know, I know, I know. It’s just for tonight, though.”

  Marissa kept a careful eye on Laura. She was sure to not speak too loudly.

  “Yes, I already took care of that. Right before I got here.”

  When asked about something, she answered, “I’ve got the stuff with me.” Knowing his concern, she added, “And, yes, I’ll be careful with it.”

  Garrett listed off some things. She verbally indicated she understood, not saying too much. Her focus had shifted to the one wrist that was beginning to bother her.

  “Got it. Well, I’m going to go. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

  She smiled, glad to hear he was still up for it.

  “Great. Bye.”

  Marissa hung up, making her way back to Laura, rubbing the wrist. “We’re all good,” she said with a smile. “You’re stuck with me all night.” She patted her friend’s leg.

  A small smile formed on Laura’s lips. “I hope you don’t mind Hallmark movies,” she stated.

  “Not at all. Not at all.”

  All night long, the two remained on the couch, cozying up next to each other with some thick blankets. At one point, Marissa made them some popcorn and got some drinks. Otherwise, they both got lost in the sentiment of the movies, a welcome distraction from the real world.

  CHAPTER 19

  T

  heir bedroom was dimly lit, a flicker from a candle the only light. It was his wife’s favorite candle. The scent had a way of revving her motor and keeping it running a long time. This was something Detective Randy Kojak needed. Not that he was being totally selfish or playing some game. He was more than ready to give his wife what she wanted as well: a massage. If he starts with that, she pretty much lets him have his way. It was a win-win situation.

  The detective’s bulky frame sat perched on Tina’s slender figure, her body flat on the bed, face down. As his hands kneaded her soft, smooth skin, he thought about getting lucky. It had been a really long time. He daydreamed of when they first met and how things were hot. Passionate. Urgent. Nowadays, everything was predictable. Planned. He sometimes felt his wife could go the rest of her life without needing him again.

  What happened? His job. The demands and stress from being a detective, especially as of late, ruined their relationship to some extent. But tonight, he was going to try to regain some of that. He knew there had been multiple times he had let Tina down lately. For good reason, yes, but she didn’t deserve it. So, tonight he made a point to tie up loose ends in the office and be home on time. He surprised her with taking her to her favorite restaurant, and then sat through a boring movie that she happened to love. Now it was time to rub her in all the right places. After, she’d more than return the favor. Then they’d snuff the candle flame, cuddle up in bed, and both sleep heavily from being satisfied.

  And so far, everything was going according to plan.

  The detective’s thumbs were making circles near the spine of Tina’s back. Her head popped up suddenly, and she did her best to twist her head to see him. “Oh! Guess what I heard today?”

  “What’s that?” His voice was soft, but deep.

  “Poor Jennie just found out her husband of seventeen years is cheating on her! Seventeen years! Can you believe it?”

  Knowing Jennie, he could believe it. But she was one of Tina’s closest friends. He wasn’t about to ruin the moment by saying that. He lied instead. “No! That’s terrible.”

  Tina kept yapping away. “Yeah, she found something suspicious on his phone and looked into it.”

  Detective Kojak kept applying pressure to Tina’s back.

  “Apparently he’s been living a double life.”

  The detective’s eyebrows arched. That must have been a tough feat.

  “He’s been with this girl for over a year. They’re even engaged! Who does that?!”

  “Wow.” It was all he thought to say.

  “She’s devastated, Randy! I feel awful for her.”

  “I’m sure.” He didn’t want to be talking about Jennie right now. Frankly, he was surprised she stayed married as long as she had. Kudos to her. But there were other things he wanted to focus on. He brought his hands to Tina’s neck, gently holding her down, kneading along the spine and sides. In his huskiest voice, he asked, “How does that feel?”

  “Good.”

  She could have stopped there. The detective wished she would have stopped here. But her mind was still on her friend.

  “I guess Jennie scratched the side of his car and threw his stuff out. He wasn’t even sorry.”

  This might be a long night. He sighed. Just be patient.

  Tina kept discussing Jennie’s problems. Occasionally, Detective Kojak would chime in, just so she knew he was listening to her. Well, at least hearing her.

  She lifted her head again. “You better never cheat on me! You’ll pay if you do!” Her head fell to the pillow with a thud.

  The detective stopped massaging. “Tina, you know I would never do that.” He sounded sweet and genuine. But he was miffed on the inside.

  Silence.

  Did he need to say anything else? Should he move on? Or continue the massage? Things got awkward real fast. Thanks, Jennie.

  He was saved by the bell, an annoying, low-sounding, repetitious utterance from his phone.

  Tina groaned. “Don’t answer it, please.”

  Leaning over to reach the nightstand, he grabbed his phone. “I’ve got to at least see who it is. It could be work.” Reading the caller ID, it was, in fact, an officer.

  “Well?”

  “I’ve got to get this. Sorry, honey.” He climbed off her, taking a seat beside her.

  “I wish you had a different job. You’re always gone lately,” she grumbled.

  After a deep exhale, he answered the phone. His shoulders slumped upon hearing the news. How could there be another body already? And why tonight? He just wanted one night of normalcy with his wife. Was that too much to ask? He didn’t think so.

  Hanging up, he told Tina he needed to leave.

  “What’s going on now?” she asked, head arched to see him.

  “I’ve got
to go to a crime scene.”

  “Can’t someone else do it?”

  Putting on his suit, he said, “It’s not that simple.”

  “What do you mean? There are other officers capable of handling a crime, aren’t there? You can’t tell me you’re the only one.”

  Buttoning his white shirt, he replied, “There’s a serial killer, Tina. The sooner we catch them, the better.”

  Tina sat up in a flash. “A what?”

  He sighed. “A serial killer. It’s been on the news, and remember I told you about it the other night?”

  Her hand was on her chest. She completely ignored his question, asking one of her own. “How many have died?”

  The detective continued dressing, answering his wife’s questions the best he knew how. Although, he was pretty sure he told her most of this before. And if not him, there was enough gossip around town that she would have heard something from someone.

  After straightening his tie, he took a quick glance in the mirror attached to the closet door. His goatee looked good, and he made sure his hair was parted neatly to the one side. He went to Tina’s side and gave her a quick peck on the lips. Running one hand through her hair, he asked, “Can we pick up where we left off when I get back?” After all, he still wanted to get his happy ending.

  “No, I’m going to sleep.” She flipped over in bed, pulling the covers up to her face.

  Figures. “Okay. Keep the bed warm for me then.” Without another word, he left.

  Detective Kojak drove with both fists on the wheel. This was not how he wanted to spend his night. But since he had no choice, the one thing he kept thinking of was the progression of these murders. The rate they were speeding up, there’d be more than one in a day come tomorrow. Was the killer getting scared? Taking as many people with them as they could before they were caught? Was the killer getting more upset? Taking someone’s life at every outburst? Whatever it was, it had to stop. It was stressing him out. Causing a threat to his city. Straining his marriage.