Cole: The Mangler: Book 1 (A Phoenix Club Serial thriller)

CHAPTER 9: Hidden Treasures

Daniel took his time in the shower, scrubbing away the grime of prison. Though he'd showered often while locked up, the grit and grime settled back on him as soon as he re-entered the population. For the first time in a decade, he finally felt clean.

Outside the shower, he swiped his hand over the foggy mirror. Droplets of condensation trickled down the glass as he stared at his bleary reflection and stroked his beard stubble. He opened the mirror and found a razor and bottle of shaving cream and a pair of hair-cutting scissors. Daniel went to work refining his image. The less scruffy he looked, the less distrustful he would seem to the average citizen. Clean-cut, handsome men were much more efficient at catching unsuspecting women than an unkempt fellow. Ted Bundy had proven that reality.

It was ingrained in the human psyche to associate handsomeness with trustworthiness. A serious flaw in the human makeup, but an asset for all the good-looking psychopaths out there.

Daniel dressed in a change of clothes he'd retrieved from the caretaker's closet. The man was somewhat larger than him and the clothes hung a little loose, but they were clean and didn't stink of the prison. Rick was closer to his size and build. Once they disposed of the family, he would change out the caretaker's clothes for some of Rick's attire in the RV.

Now that he was clean and fresh, Daniel's thoughts turned to Rick's wife, Janet... and his lovely daughter. His virgin daughter. Daniel might allow the other two men a turn at Janet, but the girl was his. His dick hardened and he rubbed himself as he took deep, controlled breaths. His son had robbed him of the girl at the Sheriff's office. That wouldn't happen again. He was ready for a hot, bloody fuck. Anyone who got in his way would suffer the consequences.

"Shower's free for the next..." Daniel halted when he entered the kitchen and discovered the guard face-down on the floor. "What the fuck?" Daniel sank to one knee beside the man and checked his pulse. Still alive. He rose slowly and looked around with a sense of caution. "Jitterbug?" Had he done this? Who else? Daniel couldn't imagine Rick getting the jump on him.

Daniel drew the gun and headed for the bedroom where he'd instructed the men to restrain the family. The bedroom door stood ajar a couple of inches, deafening silence on the other side. Daniel eased open the door to find an empty room.

What the shit?

"Jitterbug?" Daniel hurried to the front door and stepped out on the porch. "Jitterbug! You little fuck! Where are you? What did you do?"

To the side of the porch, a flurry of footsteps disrupted the snow, leading a path into the woods. Daniel swore and rushed off the porch, following the trail into the trees. A few yards into the woods, he picked up a blood trail. Son of a bitch.

Bringing him along had been a mistake. He was too unpredictable and... feral.

"Jitterbug..." Daniel called out when the blood grew thicker, drenching the snow. He kept his weapon ready. "Where are you, kid? Come on out, it's all right. I'm not mad."

Show yourself. Just give me one clean shot.

Daniel moved around a cluster of trees and brush and came upon the main kill site. Blood and guts strewn all over. "Jesus..." Daniel was no stranger to a bloody mess, but Jitterbug took it to the extreme.

A rustling in the brush snapped Daniel to attention. He jerked around, bringing up the gun. Jitterbug emerged slowly, covered in blood from head to toe. Bits of flesh were caught in his teeth and fingernails. He stared at Daniel through crazed eyes.

He's gone completely feral.

"You didn't have to do this," Daniel spoke calmly. "We would have shared with you."