The rhyme with the same cut-out letters like his other victims, Ring around the Rosy. Pocket full of posies. Ashes, Ashes, I finally fell down, was attached to his hand with a rubber band.
She backed out of the room, turned, and ran to her apartment. After all the dead bodies she had seen these past few months, this was the worst. Yet, she wasn’t sorry he was dead. If she hadn’t kicked him and ran out, it might have been her in there. She ran to the bathroom and vomited.
After she rinsed her mouth and washed her face, she went into the kitchen to make coffee. It was going to be a long night.
How could she write this story? Gary, the man she worked with, even ate lunch with, had killed all those people. Why? She flipped open her laptop.
Ring Around the Rosy
Finally, the nursery rhyme killer has been silenced. A fatal ending to tragic murders. Gary Rosenberg, staff photographer of this newspaper, took his own life tonight after kidnapping reporter, Susan Weston, the object of his erotomaniac obsession. Rosenberg broke into Ms Weston’s apartment, turned off her power, and kidnapped her when she came home early this evening. Ms Weston managed to escape, and when the police broke into his apartment a short time later, Gary Rosenberg had taken his own life. A ring of rose petals surrounded his body. The nursery rhyme, “Ring around the Rosy,” was attached to his hand with a rubber band. What led a man of Gary Rosenberg’s talent to commit these heinous acts? What—
* * *
Dave came in and stood beside her. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I just can’t believe it. Why did he do it? It doesn’t make sense. He was quiet, polite.” Susan shook her head. “I don’t understand it.”
“We found an elementary school yearbook. Each of the victims’ pictures had a red x across their face. There was a diary titled “Ashes, Ashes They All Fall Down.” He described how and why he killed each one. He was sick, Susan. He did it because they teased him, wouldn’t let him play when they were children. They made fun of him, called him four-eyes. You know how cruel kids can be. He waited a long time for his revenge. We also found a plastic body suit. That’s why he didn’t leave any trace evidence.”
“And me? What about me? Was it just because I rejected him?”
David nodded and pulled her to her feet. He had come so close to losing her. He put his arms around her and drew her to him, nuzzled her hair with his chin. She felt so good in his arms, so right. He couldn’t let her go. Mistake or not, he wanted her for keeps. He’d take his chances. That was, if she’d have him.
“Susan, I know this probably isn’t the right time.” He held her away, looked into her eyes. “I thought I lost you. When I heard that message, and you were gone… Oh, baby, I was so scared. I love you.” He took a deep breath. “Will you marry me?”
Susan stared at him.
“I... Yes!” She couldn’t believe she said it. Dave loved her, wanted to marry her. Career be damned. All she wanted was this man. Would she marry him? In a heartbeat. She reached up and pulled his head down until his mouth met hers. “Oh, yes,” she whispered.
Epilogue
Two years later
Susan helped Emily and Clare set the table. Giggles came from the other room, where the men played with the kids. Dave chased Josh around the dining room table and ran behind Susan.
“Hey, don’t hide behind me.” She pushed him toward the living room. “And don’t be running around this table. Good Lord, David, you’re worse than the kids.”
Emily laughed. “I’m afraid my brothers never grew up. They take after Dad.”
“Looks like I’m in for big trouble with Jimmy, then, aren’t I?” Susan looked at her ten-month-old son sleeping peacefully amidst all the background noise.
“It’s a good thing he takes after his father and can sleep through anything, too.”
This was the first Thanksgiving Dinner Susan had prepared for both families, and thankfully, everything was going off without a hitch. The turkey was done, and everything smelled delicious. It was good to be with family. If someone would have told her two years ago that she’d be married and have a son of her own, she never would have believed it. She smiled. Life was good.
“Okay, guys, dinner’s ready.”
Susan looked at the large group gathered around the table — Michael with his new girlfriend, and John, recently engaged to Kate, Mother and Father Morgan, happy and healthy. Emily and Rob with their boys, her parents, Clare with her new boyfriend and Katie and Johnny, and of course Jimmy, still asleep in the corner of the room — all their family gathered together to celebrate Thanksgiving and so much to be thankful for.
Her gaze met Dave’s across the room, and she couldn’t wait for him to make the announcement. Next year, there’d be one more.
“I love you,” she mouthed across the table at her husband.
“I love you, too,” he mouthed back and blew her a kiss.
Funny, Susan thought, how quickly life changed. Things that once seemed important no longer were. Now that she accomplished her goal, being an investigative reporter wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Just proved with the right man by your side, you could have it all. Now she was content to write the “fluff” pieces. She had something much more important — Dave, her son, her family. Not everything she had ever dreamed of, no.
It was everything and more.
The End
About The Author
Multi-published author, Roseanne Dowell, writing instructor and former school secretary, is an avid reader and writes various types of romance –paranormal, contemporary, and mystery. Living in Northeast Ohio with her husband of fifty years, she has six children, fourteen grandchildren and one great grandchild. She spends her time between writing, quilting, and embroidering. She’s been published since 2006. She also enjoys blogging, tweeting, facebooking and posting on various writers groups.
Check her website: www.roseannedowell.com
Or her blog: http://roseannedowell.blogspot.com
Also from Books We Love:
Secrets, Lies and Love
Designed for Love
Time to Love Again
Shadows in the Attic
Elusive Mission
From the Publisher
http://bookswelove.net
We hope you have enjoyed your reading experience. Books We Love and the author
would very much appreciate you returning to the online retailer where you purchased this
book and leaving a review. Happy Reading Jamie and Jude
Top quality books loved by readers,
Romance, Mystery, Fantasy, Young Adult,
Vampires, Werewolves, Cops, Lovers.
If you're looking for something Spicier, visit
http://spicewelove.com
Table of Contents
Start
Ring Around the Rosy Page 23
