Town Slayer

Fight or Fold

Summary
After being beaten by her husband, Janet finds him bleeding on their front room floor. With the evidence piling against her; she was holding a bloody bat and was covered in blood when the EMT's walked in, the cops accused her of murder. Frightened she runs.
She gets a ride out of town from a truck driver named Sam, claiming her name is Jackie
Seeing the blood on her dress, he holds her at gunpoint, demanding an explanation.
Believing her story, Sam takes her to a truck stop so she can get cleaned up. Seeing a news bulletin on the TV about her being a murder suspect Sam leaves.
Jackie formerly Janet finds out she's been abandoned and then sees the bulletin on the TV. She runs to the bathroom grabbing hair dye and scissors on the way. The now red-headed Jackie asks another trucker for a ride only to find out he's a rapist and she's trapped in his cab. She escapes. Henry an old farmer takes her to his house.
Hearing about the shooting on the news, Henry tell his wife.
The assassin tied up, tortured and killed Beth's abusive husband, Steve. The motel manager planned to rape her in exchange for the room. she hits him over the head.
The police are informed that there have been two murders.

The team is processing the scene when Joe and Rachel pull into the driveway. Kirk runs to their cruiser as they climb out of the car.

"What can you tell me, Kirk?"

"We have two bodies, Sergeant. Steve is in the barn and his wife, Beth is under an oak tree around back."

"I knew she'd end up like this, I just knew it," he stomps across the yard.

He and Beth's relationship started in high school. She moved to town just weeks after Janet married that monster, Bill. Joe, grief-stricken over his friend and her upset over her move; they found comfort in each other's company and became inseparable soon after. Joe wanted to propose when they finished school, but weeks before graduation, he finds out she's marrying Steve.

~~~~

"I love you, Joe, I really do. You're the best friend a girl could ever ask for and I treasure our time together." She tearfully takes his hands in hers. "You'll always have a special place in my heart no matter what life throws our way."

Wiping tears from her beautiful face, he drops to his knee. "Then marry me instead of Steve. I promise to take care of you to love, honor and cherish you for the rest of my days."

"I love you as a friend, Joe but that's all it'll ever be." she runs for the door.

"You'll learn to love me, Beth; you'll learn to love me," he says as she fades out of sight.
~~~

If you'd only married me. He wipes a tear trickling down his face as he continues across the yard.

He sees Steve's mutilated body dangling from a rope when he steps in the barn. The bastard finally got what he deserves. Smiling to himself, he walks towards the victim. "This's definitely a frenzied attack, unlike the first which was planned, organized. Bill was hit in the head where Steve was mutilated and dismembered."

"He was hit in the head too," the ME says, glancing up from her report.

"What's the cause of death, Sharon?"

"I won't be certain until I examine him further, but if I had to guess, I'd say the stab wound to his lungs caused his demise."

"Steve kills Beth; someone sees she's dead and kills him. Since the person buried Beth but left him here, I'd say our second killer is someone who really cares for her, maybe a lover former or present." Joe concludes as he walks around his body again.

"That's very possible, Joe."

"We found the murder weapon, sir." Kirk holds up a bloody knife and then continues, "I got a partial fingerprint off of the handle. I believe it'll be enough for a match. We also found a fresh shoe print in the soil. I'd say it's from a lady's boot because of its pattern and size. I'll know for sure when I get the impression to the lab."