Summer Fun - Danielle Armstrong

Chapter Four: Looking For a Serial Killer (Part One)

I woke up to my alarm going off at eight am. I got up, groaning, and got ready for Nikki to come over. I had a quick shower, dried my hair, put it up into a ponytail, put on a pair of shorts, a t-shirt, a pair of Converse, and my usual makeup. I finished with five minutes to spare, so I went downstairs to wait for Nikki. No sign of Davey, he must have left already for his route. I went into the kitchen to get a glass of orange juice. There was a note on the fridge door from my mom saying, "working late again. Get a pizza. Call one of the neighbors in case of emergency." I drank my juice and put my glass in the sink, when the doorbell rang. I rushed to answer it, it was Nikki of course. "Morning, Little One" she greeted with a smile. I chuckled and motioned for her to come in. "Morning" I responded. I let her into my room and we started by going through most of my clothes. She made a small pile of clothes that would still work and the rest we put back in my closet or dresser. She then paired he clothes together and then went through my small amount of makeup. "Okay so we definitely need to pick up some eyeshadow and lipstick. Then a few skirts, dresses, and heels. Let's get shopping" she commented, while leaving my room. "Alright fine, but let's stay true to myself" I told her as I hung my purse over my shoulder and followed her. We walked over to her house and she told me to wait by her car while she went to go get her keys. It didn't take her long to return, then we went to a couple of shops and the mall. I had gotten three skirts with matching tops that show my cleavage, a few pairs of fishnet tights, five pairs of leggings to go under my skirts and dresses, two dresses, two pairs of legwarmers, and two pairs of high heels. I also got two bras with matching panties, one sets white and the other is black. We also picked up some makeup and nail polish. Nikki dropped me off at home and told me she'd come over tomorrow afternoon to start my makeover because she had to go to work at the bowling alley.

I had just gotten inside the house when my brother came out of the kitchen with the milk carton in hand. I dropped my bags and sighed. "You have to come with me" he shouted, grabbing my arm and pulling me back outside. "What for? Where are we going?" I questioned as he hurriedly pulled me across the street towards Tommy's tree house. "Davey, I really don't want to be here" I sighed, struggling to get out of his grip, but he tightened his hold on me. "Come on Dani, it's really important" he claimed, and I whined, "Davey!" He pulled me into the tree house, where we were met by Tommy, Farraday, and Woody. Great, for once this is the last place that I want to be. "What's this about?" I wondered as Davey slammed the milk carton down onto the small wooden box we use as a table. "Congrats, you're getting your calcium" Tommy mocked, making me eye rool. "Mackey is the Cape May Slayer" Davey insisted, getting a few chuckles and a sigh from me. "Uh, I knew we shouldn't have taken you to the library, Davey. I blame myself" Farraday confessed, and Tommy added, "I also blame Farraday." Farraday picked up the carton and looked at the kid on it when Davey said "no man look." "Who's the missing ginger?" Farraday pondered as Tommy took the carton from him to get a better look. 

"That's the kid I saw in Mackey's dining room a couple of weeks ago, when we were playing Manhunt" Davey stated. I shook my head saying, "Davey, it's just your hypochondria acting up." "Red heads all look the same" Tommy admitted, obtaining an agreement from Farraday, "so true." "Look, if you're so sure, why don't you just tell your parents?" Woody quizzed, receiving a quick response from Davey, "cause they'd never believe me." "Now that's true" I pointed out. All of us looked at Davey like we didn't believe him and he got defensive, "guys, I was only like ten feet away. I saw him clear as day, that's him. Plus, what about the Hopkins? Their lake house is only a couple hours north, but their cars still here and their neighbors." "So?"Tommy questioned, and Davey continued, "what if when the Hopkins saw Mackey with Dusty-" "Who?" Woody interrupted. "The missing ginger" Farraday informed. "Mackey found out somehow and killed them to get rid of the threat" Davey finished. Farraday  then called Tommy out, which he hates, "Eats, tell them what Kyle said." "Farraday, what the fuck?" Tommy huffed, and Davey wondered, "what did Kyle say?" "Goddamn it, fine. Uhm, he said that Mackey goes into the hardware store every week and buys like a hundred pounds of dirt, says it's for his garden" Tommy quoted. Davey exploded with more excitement, "bullshit. Who uses a hundred pounds of dirt a week in a backyard garden? You know he's also got a room in his basement with a padlock on the door. Why would he need that?" "Depending on the plants, you could go maybe a few years without resoiling, but vegetables are high in nutrients so they might need to be resoiled more often and maybe he has a secret sex room" I imparted, earning all of them to look at me. I couldn't make eye contact with any of them, so I just stared at Davey. I was still extremely hurt and mad at the others. I could barely stand being in the same room as them. "What? He could, we don't know what goes on behind closed doors" I volunteered. "Still not convinced. Suspect is likely a white male, late thirty's to forty's, lives alone, who does that remind you of" Davey stated, putting a newspaper on the table. Woody picked it up, only to have it snatched away by Tommy. "Dude, Mackey's a cop with a sick reputation" Tommy incuded, throwing the newspaper down and glancing at me. I avoided his gaze and just tried to focus on Thinking Davey's point through. "That's why it's so genius. He knows police tactics, he can plant evidence to throw them off or destroy it if they ever find anything better. And who would suspect a cop? It's the perfect cover" pause "guys, if Mackey is what I think he is then we gotta do something" Davey rambled, and Tommy probed, "okay, Magnum P.I. What's your plan?"