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BUZZARD TRAIL
Odessa Muldane flipped on the news and poured herself a stiff whiskey.
“Angelica Gomez coming to you from Widow Lake where a body has just been found in a car submerged in the lake. Police have transported the vehicle and remains to the morgue for an autopsy and identification.” Angelica angled her mic toward a female detective, Ellie Reeves, who Odessa had been following for nearly two years. She was known to track down the worst of the worst.
She’d have her hands full with this case. Laughter bubbled in Odessa’s throat at the thought.
“At this point, all we know is that a car was submerged in the lake and appears to have been here for some time,” Detective Reeves said. “We are treating the area as a crime scene and will be investigating the situation further. If anyone has any information regarding the unidentified remains in the vehicle, please call the local police. We’ll update you as more information becomes available.”
The police number flashed on the screen, then the reporter continued, “All this at the beginning of the tenth-year reunion of the graduating class of 2013 at Widow Peak College.”
Odessa flipped off the television, which was triggering memories of her senior year.
Nervous energy thrummed through her and she carried her drink down the steps to the basement of the Victorian house she’d inherited from her dead aunt. She kept a private office tucked behind a locked door. Hand shaking, she opened the door and went inside. Shelves housing her collections, all items she’d talked her lovers into sending her, lined the far wall. Trinkets from their victims. Her very own prizes so she could relive the thrill of their kills.
Souvenirs that forever linked them.
A locked cabinet held the photographs she’d taken during her senior year. She studied one pic of her and the brothers with a twinge of nostalgia for days gone by.
It had been initiation night and she’d wanted to be among them so badly, she would have done anything they said.
Shehaddone everything they’d said.
Now she followed the notorious and most violent killers across the States, writing them letters and listening to tales of their heinous kills.
Dominique, AKA the Southside Slasher, was her current favorite. She sat down at her writing desk with stationery and put pen to paper.
Dearest Darling,
My heart is with you every minute. I talked to Dr. Morehead today and I’m hoping he’ll write me a recommendation so I can visit.
Meanwhile, I’m headed to the college reunion at Widow Lake.
Hopefully the others will be there. I can’t wait to see if they continued their obsessions.
TWENTY-FIVE
WIDOW LAKE
DAY 2
Lorna Bea woke to the sun painting rays of light across the wooden floor. The air conditioner whined like an old man snoring, but even it couldn’t keep up with the heat.
She ran to the window and looked outside with a smile. Yesterday had been the most interesting day she’d ever had. She liked Widow Lake. Maybe she could convince her father to stay here for a while. Maybe forever.
The police had found a dead body. She’d heard Nana talking to her daddy about it in hushed voices last night when she’d hovered at the door after her daddy had sent her to bed. She wondered who it was and how it had gotten there.
This morning the lake was quiet and still, and she spotted a canoe moving steadily across the water. Curious, she opened the window and climbed onto the tree branch to watch.
Betsy and her mother were singing as they picked wildflowers by the lake. The little kitty ran and leaped through the blades of grass. Looking closer, she realized it was Cade and his father in the canoe.
Her heart raced and she hurriedly threw on clothes and ran down the stairs.
Nana was stirring oatmeal on the stove. Dried mud dotted the floor in a path from the front door to the sliders. Through the glass, she saw her father on the phone pacing outside, kicking dirt with the toe of his boot.
He’d mentioned swimming on the drive here. Today would be a perfect day for that!
“Breakfast will be ready in a sec,” Nana said.
