by Jill Cooper
Karen
The apartment was barren. My things were all packed up in boxes and my kitchen table was covered in loose kitchen gadgets and accessories, but I sat there. The plastic hospital band still dangled from my wrist and in front of me was a folded newspaper.
“Shining Syndrome? Cabin fever?” I shook my head and a tear fell from my cheek and landed straight on a smiling picture of Clyde and Terri. It was probably their engagement photo.
Oh God. My insides clenched tight.
I reached for the unopened pack of cigarettes beside me, but my hand stopped right above it. No, new leaf. New beginnings. Instead, I picked them up and tossed them into the trashcan not far from where I sat.
Jay stopped his bustling for a minute and knelt beside me. His long fingers stroked through my hair and it brought me back for a few minutes to a place of sanity. “You know the mayor, he doesn’t want a scandal. He thinks it’ll scare people off for good.”
Glancing around at our packed boxes, I couldn’t say he was wrong.
“Clyde was a good man. Terri once,” I shook my head and the pain in my chest wouldn’t let me go forward. I thought the grief might consume me, just like it consumed Terri.
“They’re running Clyde’s name through the mud. There’s no proof he did anything wrong…Terri, yes, but Clyde.” I squeezed my eyes tight to run from the guilt of it all. “Clyde doesn’t deserve this. His memory should be pure.”
I had to own my part in that. I did. What we had done…
What Clyde had done, given up, for me? I didn’t deserve such an honorable sacrifice and somehow I needed to make people understand that—one day.
One day they’d be ready to hear my story. One day I’d be ready to free my personal demons.
Jay stroked my cheek and I found solace in his lips. For a brief moment, I let my grief go. I let that glimmer of happiness back in because I wouldn’t lose him again. I wouldn’t lose what we had no matter how hard a part of me wanted to self-destruct.
Just like Terri.
I wouldn’t let her death be in complete vain. At least what she did could teach me a lesson.
“Clyde deserved better.” I sighed. So much better.
The glint in Jay’s eye said he agreed with me, but there was nothing he could say that we hadn’t already said. “The moving van will be here soon. You sure you’re ready for this?”
To leave Sandpoint behind forever? I didn’t think I could stay here a moment longer.
Firm and with determination, I nodded. “I’m ready.”
Join the Cooper & Paulson mailing list for access to the secret copycat letters. As they write back and forth, try to guess what famous serial killer they’re pretending to be. They don’t even know who the other has chosen.
http://cooperandpaulson.com/copy-cat-serial-killer-letters
About the Authors
Cooper & Paulson are two killer indie authors on a mission to bring you high thrills, big scares, page turners that play out like a high octane movie.
No boring filler here! Only thrills and chills about some of humanity’s most questionable people.
Jill Cooper
Jill Cooper discovered her love for thrillers early on while teething on a chicken bone. Her favorite bad guys are those with complex characters and motivations. Who isn’t a little scared understanding a bad guy’s motivation and sometimes seeing his face stare back at you in the mirror.
Discover books by Jill Cooper at www.jillacooper.com
BR Paulson
Paulson doesn't mess around when she's out to kill others in stories. The killers might be and she's just along for the thrilling ride.
Wanna hide a body?
Discover books by BR Paulson
At www.brpaulson.com
