Murder! Too Close To Home

P rologue

Prologue

February 15, 1997

The rain was coming down in sheets as the man pulled the car over to the side of the semi-deserted road and turned on the emergency flashers. Sitting back anxiously to wait, he wondered how long it would take on a night with this much rain. He didn't have long to linger, however, when an old pickup pulled off the road in front of him. His right eye started twitching quickly, as it always did when he got excited or nervous.

Pulling up the hood of his sweatshirt, he opened the door and entered the storm, running quickly up to the driver's door of the truck. Rolling the window down, the driver asked if he needed a ride somewhere. Opening his mouth to accept the offer, the man caught a glimpse of a shotgun in the back window. Uncertainty quickly enveloped him as he glanced back towards his car...an armed man may be a greater challenge then he was prepared for.

As he mulled over his options, another car pulled in behind the one he had been driving, the shadows created by a passing motorist revealing two occupants in the front seat.

Quickly making a decision, he thanked the first driver and told him his friends had just arrived. The truck's driver shrugged his shoulders as he shifted into gear and drove off. The man now ran back to the newly arrived auto as the driver was rolling down his window.

"Need a lift?" this new driver questioned as the hooded man reached the door.

"I could sure make use of a phone if you have one," replied the now soaking-wet man.

"Sure, hop in the back out of this rain," the driver grinned as he reached back to un-latch the door.

Sliding in behind the driver, the hooded man pulled the door closed and sat back in the warm seat of the car. "I really appreciate this," the man exclaimed as he took the offered phone. Looking back through the rear window to check on any approaching traffic, he then dialed the memorized number, the other party picking up after one ring.

"Yes?" the person on the other end of the call answered in a raspy whisper, "Are you in position?"

The man replied that he was, stating that a lovely couple had allowed him to use their phone as well as giving him shelter in their back seat.

"Well then," the person on the other end of the call stated, "Show me what you got."

Reaching into his pocket, the man pulled out a gun. Casually, he first shot the husband, followed by the screaming woman a moment later, a shiver of exhilaration running down his spine as he watched the bodies slump forward into the dash.