AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“And say what?” The Smiling Man shrugged. “You got into my truck voluntarily and I gave you a room and fed you. I haven’t hurt you, have I?”
Incredulous, Maisy gaped at him. “What about the bodies?”
“They’ll be long gone before you leave.” He snorted and shook his head. “I went to your motel room and got your things.” He smiled like a wolf. “I’ve read your diary. You murdered your boyfriend, so you’re not going to say a word, are you?”
Shaking her head, Maisy stared at him in disbelief. He couldn’t have broken her code, the journal on her iPad was encrypted and in code. It was notes on her life as she traveled around the US. She hadn’t actually admitted to killing Zander but hoped he’d overdose with heroin after leaving her for a stick-thin blonde with needle tracks up one arm. “You couldn’t have read anything.”
“Ah, but I did.” He folded his arms across his chest. “I have a mind that can decipher things. I’ve been doing puzzles since I could read. Your iPad took me all of two seconds to crack. Hidden files are my specialty.” He smiled at her. “You’ll go down for his murder. Staging an overdose for a guy obsessed with eating healthy is crazy. He’d never kill himself with heroin. That was your first mistake, especially with all the supplements these people buy and make into shakes. I mean some of them buy caffeine and add it to their shakes. Do you know how dangerous caffeine is in high doses? If you’d wanted to kill him without suspicion, you could have loaded his shake up with caffeine and just walked away. All this information is on the internet. When you’re planning on killing people and getting away with it, you need to do your research.”
Her journal was for her eyes only and nobody should have found it. It made no sense that he broke into an encrypted file and then deciphered her code. She stared at him. “Caffeine? Yeah, he used that, but it can’t kill you. It’s in coffee and a ton of sodas.”
“Too much speeds up your heart and increases your blood pressure. Most people stroke out or have a coronary.” He narrowed his gaze at her. “So, are you planning on helping me or would you like to join my other friends out there?” He indicated with his thumb toward the corpses.
Maisy eyed him over the rim of her to-go cup. He wasn’t smiling now, and if he did turn nasty, she wouldn’t stand a chance. He was big and muscular, with hands like dinner plates. “Okay, what do you want me to do?”
“There’s a woman in town. I need you to contact her and offer to buy one of her paintings, is all.” He smiled again. “You don’t have to meet her, just tell her your husband will be around to collect it from her studio, he’ll pay the full amount in cash.”
Confused, Maisy stared at him. “You want a painting? Why not arrange to buy it yourself?”
“Because women who live alone don’t like a stranger coming by, and her studio is in the forest.” He chuckled. “They trust women, and if it’s a husband picking up a painting, well, it’s okay.”
Maisy nodded. “I’ll need more information. She’ll ask me questions and if I mess up, she’ll know.”
“I have that covered. I’ll show you the painting, so you can wax lyrical about it and offer her a substantial amount over the price.” His face had become animated and he grinned at her. “I know what she is asking. She exhibits in the Black Rock Falls town hall and I dropped by to do my research. I listened in when someone asked for the price of a painting. It doesn’t matter to me which darn painting you buy. I just need an excuse to get her alone.”
Suddenly his intentions for this woman slammed home and Maisy chewed on her fingers. “I’m not very good at negotiations.”
“You won’t need to be. She’ll jump at the figure you offer her, especially when you mention it’s cash.” He sighed. “It will work out just fine. She has a garage on the side of her studio. I’m hoping she’ll allow me to back in and load it up from there. It’s a substantial piece, but you’ll say it will fit in the back of my truck.”
Aghast, Maisy gaped at him. “Do you think I’m going to persuade her to do that, so you can kill her and bring her here like the others? I’m not like you. I can’t do that.”
“Unless you want to take her place, you will.” He stared at her. “You’ll mention the weather and worrying about the picture getting damaged when I carry it to my truck. I’ve been watching her for weeks and the paintings are like her babies. I’m sure she’ll allow me to back my truck into her garage for loading. It will work out just fine.” He slid a hunting knife from the sheath at his waist and ran his thumb down the lethal serrated blade and then lifted his gaze to her. “Will you, do it—or not? You or she will be next for embalming out there.” He tipped his head toward the door. “Either one of you will do just fine. It’s your choice. Live or die.”
Trembling, Maisy nodded her agreement.
“We’ll go over the spiel a few times until I’m satisfied, but when we do this I’ll be right beside you listening to every word.” He leaned in closer staring into her eyes. “Don’t mess with me. Say one wrong word and I’ll break your neck like a twig.”
In a split second the detestable monster had returned. His eyes had changed to dark soulless depths and the Smiling Man had slipped behind a demonic mask.
TWENTY-FIVE
The wind picked up, dusting Jenna with snowflakes as she hurried from the garage to the cottage with Kane loaded up with takeout close behind. Confused, Duke ran around in circles, expecting them to be heading for the house. Quickly pressing the code to the entry panel, Jenna juggled her iPad and Kane’s laptop and pushed open the door, only to be greeted by Zorro. Carter’s dog was standing at the entrance, the skin around his mouth drawn back to display long white canines. The dog’s low warning growl and frightening expression made Jenna stop in her tracks. “Zorro, it’s me, Jenna.” She looked around. “Carter, where are you?”
“I’m right here.” Carter strolled into the family room and grinned at her. “That there is my first line of defense. He doesn’t care who owns the place. When I’m here, he’s on guard and nobody gets through the doors.”
Not seeing the dog take a backward step, Jenna nodded. “I’m sure he is but do something or the food will get cold.”
“Zorro is doing what he’s been trained to do, Jenna.” Kane eased inside the door. “Call him off, Ty. It’s freezing out here.”
“Zorro. By me.” Carter smiled and waved them inside. “Coffee is ready, and we’ve set up in the kitchen. I’ve taken out steaks for dinner.”
“Good, I’ll take them back to the house.” Kane dropped the box of takeout on the kitchen table. “I’ll cook.” He looked at Jo. “Do you want to make the sides?”
“Sure.” Jo smiled at him. “Something hot. Potato bake, maybe? Honey roast pumpkin?” She nodded. “I could make that ahead of time and reheat it in the oven?”
Jenna looked from one to the other. “That sounds like a plan. I can cut vegetables.”
“Now you’ve all discussed the meals, can we get down to work?” Carter passed around coffee cups and then dropped into a chair. “Bobby has a list of possible suspects we need to discuss, although this will be the first time I’ve hunted down suspects for missing persons disappearances. I assume we’re listing all the disappearances as abductions?”
