“Did you talk to Mark?” he asks.
“I did. And I spoke with Cindy. Dead end.”
“I figured it would be. How many men in New York have died at the hands of that killer?”
“Five.”
“Jesus.” He throws his head back.
“Hey, Lucas. The usual?”
“Yeah, Linda. Thanks.” He smiles at her.
“Linda tells me that everyone in town was envious of Brian and Katherine’s relationship.”
“Yeah.” He chuckles. “They were known as the perfect town couple. They were always happy, kissing, hugging, goofing around. You could see the love they had for each other. That’s why I was so shocked when I heard Brian was having an affair—poor Katherine. I had no idea she remarried. I can’t imagine losing three people I loved to murder.”
“Excuse me?” My brows furrowed. “What do you mean by ‘three people?’”
“There was that guy she was dating when she was sixteen, Brian, and her most recent husband.”
“The guy she was dating when she was sixteen was murdered?”
“That’s what she told me when I visited her in the hospital. She asked me why God would do that to her again.”
30
KAT
Before
The school bell rings,signaling the end of class. I quickly gather my things—a purse and a stack of textbooks—from my desk and head to my locker. Walking down the bustling hall, I feel a sense of relief, knowing that I'll see Jack, my boyfriend, waiting for me at my locker. When I reach it, I find him leaning casually against the metal door with a charming grin.
"Hey there, beautiful," he greets me.
"Hi," I reply with a smile, leaning in for a kiss.
I open my locker, shove my heavy books inside, and then pull out only what I need for my next class.
“Did you finish your paper last night?” I ask.
“Yeah. But I don’t think Mr. Jacobs is going to like it. It’s all about football.”
“Of course it is.” I laugh.
Jack is tall and lean, with broad shoulders and muscular arms. His sandy blonde hair is messy yet effortlessly attractive, and his bright blue eyes sparkle in the sunlight. He is the quarterback of our high school’s football team. Jack lives andbreathes football—a sport that consumes him entirely. His talents have caught the eye of top scouts from around the country, who watch his every move with awe and admiration. He’s every girl’s dream—my dream.
We have been wrapped up in each other's arms for nearly a year, lost in the intoxicating embrace of teenage love. He is my first and only. Losing my virginity to him was the best night of my life. He hooks his arm around me as we walk down the hall, heading to the English class that we have together.
The final bell rings as we walk into the classroom and take our seats next to each other.
“Good afternoon, students. Please get your papers out, and I will walk by and collect them,” Mr. Jacobs says.
He walks by the desk and grabs the paper I wrote. He turns to Jack’s desk and grabs his.
“Football? Why am I not surprised, Mr. Dillard?”
Jack shrugs.
