Six years ago the quiet town of Raven Hill in upstate New York was terrorized by a serial known as the Triple-6 Killer. After marking the doors of his intended victims, six days later they would be found dead, posed in a gruesome scene. After a sixt...
With our backs practically on the Canadian border, Eli drove south, though I didn't think he drove with any real destination in mind. About twenty minutes later, he pulled over at a rest area and we ate our subs at a wooden picnic table on the side of the road. Not much was said between us while we ate. Though we had put distance between us and the events of the day, Eli was still very tense, but I couldn't blame him. Nowhere felt safe, not even at a random, empty picnic area on the side of a random highway. If it wasn't the threat of Triple-6, then it was the threat of being recognized. This afternoon only proved how people would try to exploit us.
"He's upped his game," Eli eventually mumbled.
"Yeah, Triple-6 got ahead of us," I sighed.
"That's not what I meant. That scene was by far the bloodiest," he commented.
"They knew they wouldn't be disturbed," I glanced away. "They... took their time."
"Yes," he paused, then crumpled up the paper that had once contained his sub.
Folding my arms, I let out a deep breath, "Do you think she's been found yet?"
He shrugged, then threw the ball of paper towards the garbage can a few yards away. Not too surprising he missed, but he seemed genuinely disappointed that he did. "We can only hope she's found soon. Same with Jorge. There's nothing more that we can do."
"You mean there's nothing more you're willing to do," I grumbled.
"Doing anything more would expose us," he frowned. "Yeah, it sucks, but it would suck a lot more if we got the police on our trail."
"You don't think Leroy's called the police?" I arched my eyebrow questioningly.
Eli turned away, "Depends how afraid Leroy is of being arrested for multiple counts of rape."
"You're that confident of your blackmail on him? Didn't you message his mom?" I pointed out.
"That was a joke," he mused. "And a warning of what I'll do if he talks. I didn't actually message his mom, but it was fun to rile him up. Speaking of, I need to get to work soon. Not just on our new friend - I have the access log to the surveillance system at the cabin."
"Oh," I thought about it for a moment, but then it hit me. "Oh! Triple-6 didn't delete that?"
"Either he didn't think of doing it or he couldn't figure out how to," he explained. "Deleting the log is something an experienced hacker would do, so he's clearly just dabbling in the art."
"The art," I pursed my lips. "That's what you call it?"
"An art only the most skilled hackers can appreciate," he boasted. "Anyway, we need to get more distance then find somewhere to stop for the night."
"I do want to read the journal as soon as possible and I can only read so much before I start getting motion sickness so that sounds like a good plan," I nodded.
"Next question is which direction? Heading south back towards the city is too dangerous still. Too many crowds. Head east and go out of state for a while? Or head west towards...," he trailed off, unsure of whether he should say 'Raven Hill'.
"Eli, I am sick of people dying," I gritted my teeth. "If we keep running, Triple-6 is going to keep killing people in my name so maybe it's time to give them what they want."
"If you're suggesting that we use you as bait, you can scratch that idea now," he shut down.
"Isn't that what you just did at the truck stop back there?" I pointed out.
"That was different," he insisted. "But maybe you're right, it's time we get an advantage. However, as our friend so conveniently highlighted, finding somewhere to lay low until we're ready is going to be difficult."
Eli made an excellent point. There was far more attention on us than before. Going to any motel would have its risks. I couldn't risk contacting any of the others or my family as they would be monitored. There wasn't many people who I could trust that would also have the means. I pulled out my phone and looked through my message log.
"What? Do you have something in mind?" Eli asked curiously.
"I don't know, maybe? But you're not going to like it," I bit my lip nervously.
Eli's face twisted in torn emotion, "We don't have a lot of choice right now. Beggars can't be choosers."
"I'm glad you see it that way," my body genuinely relaxed a little as I began writing a message.
He shifted uncomfortably as he waited impatiently for me to finish my message and send it, "So, who is it?"
I smirked as I laid my phone down on the table, "Cameron."
"No," Eli responded without hesitation. "Fuck no!"
"Eli, I know you don't trust-" I began before I was rudely cut off.
"Did you forget the part the other night when I explained in detail why he can't be trusted!?" he raised his voice in anger.
"You just don't get it, do you?" I retorted. "I saw the man at his worst! I stood by him when no one else would! The man literally broke down and cried in front of me!"
My phone beeped signaling a mad grab for it. My reflexes barely beat Eli's. He pounded his fist on the table in frustration while I opened the message from Cameron.
"I swear, Dani, if you tell that man anything, I'm leaving you here! He can come pick you up!" Eli threatened.
"You're not serious," I glared at him. "You would ditch me after all we've been through?"
"How else can I get you to understand that that man is exploitable!" he snapped. "If the cops don't get to him, others will!"
I arched my eyebrow at Eli's paranoia, "Well maybe you're going to have to learn how to cope because he just gave us his old apartment."
"Old apartment?" he scrunched up his face in confusion.
"Yeah, he no longer lives in the apartment above the bar, for obvious reasons," I sighed. "Rear entrance on a back street. Pre-existing cameras that you can use to monitor the area."
"Dani, Heather was kidnapped from that apartment," his face relaxed.
Pursing my lips, I nodded, "I know. That's why it's perfect. No one would expect me to be there."
"Dani, we can find somewhere else," he shook his head. "There's no reason to torture yourself like that."
"Really? I couldn't think of a better place to plan our vengeance," I mused.
Eli ran his fingers through his hair while he contemplated the situation. "All right, tonight we hole up at a roadside motel, then first thing in the morning, we head for Raven Hill. Fuck, another six hours in the car," he grimaced.
"I'm happy to drive," I reminded him.
"That's not the problem," he insisted. "The tower coverage upstate is shit and even worse when you're on the move."
"Oh, I see, you're cranky because you can't internet while we're driving," I teased him.
"Some of us have important work to do," he frowned.
I had to fight myself from mocking him further, "With luck this will be the last time."
Eli scoffed, "We'll see."
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