The Serial Killers (Complete)

Kate04/02 9:08 AM

"I'm hungry."

"You're always hungry," Raelyn snipped, arm thrown over her eyes to block the afternoon sun that pierced the windshield.

I sat back heavily, moaning. My stomach gurgled and I pointed to it theatrically, "Did you hear that? I'm hungry."

River's warm brown eyes locked with my silvery grey ones in the rearview mirror. "What do you want me to do? Find you a couple berries to chew on? If you haven't noticed, we're in the middle of nowhere."

I shifted so that I could pout while staring out the window. The coniferous forest that sped past made my eyes water so I shut them tightly. "Do we still have the jerky from the gas station in Belona?"

"You ate that already," Raelyn replied. "How about some music?"

She slammed her fist into the dash and the car was flooded with Guns n' Roses.

"I love this song." River twisted the knob so that the climactic portion of November Rain was throbbing through the speakers.

I debated protesting the music but decided against it as Raelyn began to sing along, her rumbling alto voice taking the swings of the song with ease. Sometimes I wonder why she had ever chosen something so selfless as social work when she could have been a famous singer or actress. The Lord knows that she's a talented liar.

My eyes found the treeline again and I took a deep breath, and rolled down the window, savoring the way the air wasn't laced with the pollutants of the city. Out of the corner of my eye, I swear I saw an animal dart through the brush.

The last strains of the song were filtering out of the speakers when we passed the city limit for Hideaway Lake and River took the car off of Old Buckingham Road and onto the well maintained Main Street. "Oh oh! Right there, pull over there!" My finger shot out in front of her face as Paxton's convenience store came into view.

She swatted me back, but put on the turn signal. "Sit back, you'll get us pulled over."

"I thought you said it was desolate Maine," Raelyn unbuckled so she could dig through her purse.

River swung around the packed lot, searching for an open pump. "The realtor said that a rich family owns most everything in town. I'm guessing the goal is a tourist destination."

"Food," I moaned, ignoring their conversation.

We rumbled up to the only open pump and River put the car in park. I leapt out of my door, wallet in hand as I dashed for the stone-sided store. I could hear Raelyn's laughter pealing in my ears as the chime tinkled.

The inside of the store was dimly lit and the scent of industrial cleaners permeated the air, the greater majority of the light drifted down from wall mounted ambiance lighting. The floors were paneled with dark wood and squeaked softly against my sneakers. Some kind of classical music floated out of the overhead speakers in a hollow, metallic fashion. No one else appeared to be inside the store itself and the front counter was vacated.

I drifted towards the snack aisle, running my fingers along the wire shelves. "Hmmm, chips, jerky and pop."

"Sounds like you're having a party." And suddenly I wasn't alone anymore.

"Oh jeez, shit," I gasped, clutching my chest as I got a good look at the giant who stepped out from around the corner near the bars of candy. I discreetly tucked the pepper spray back into my pocket. "You scared the hell out of me!"

The stranger grinned, he had an adorable smile that split his face in two. "Sorry, miss, didn't mean to frighten you. He glanced out the storefront window. "You're new here in town?" But he said it more like a statement rather than a question. I got the sense that it was something that he did often.

"Yeah, well, actually we're staying at a cabin a few miles west of here for a few weeks. It's something of a spring break." I snatched a bag of Doritos off the shelf and moved around him. I caught a whiff of musky cologne that reminded me of evergreens.

He moved out of my way. "Danny's old place? The one by the lake?"

"You know it?" I tilted my face up towards him, finding myself immersed in his brilliant green eyes.

A faraway smile drifted across his face. "I used to party up there. It's quite the place."

"Used to? You mean you don't anymore, Jericho?"

He frowned, confused for a moment before tapping his nametag with a sly grin. Jericho ran a hand through his mop of messy blonde hair and bit his lip. "Nah, it's not like I have anyone to head up there with. My cousins aren't with us anymore. Will and Matthew both died in a barn fire. It was a rough year for my family."

I blanched. "Oh jeez, I'm sorry. Were you guys close?" I questioned, mentally facepalming and cursing myself for being so socially inept.

He took the groceries from my hands, lingering slightly where our fingers connected, and brought them to the counter and began to dump them absentmindedly into a plastic bag. "They were my cousins."

He paused to allow time to tug a wrinkled picture out of his wallet. He flourished it fondly and pointed to the first boy. "That's me about two years ago." The next boy, one with dark brown almost black hair and brilliant green eyes like Jericho's. "That's Matthew." Finally he pointed to a heavier set boy with whitish-blonde hair and watery blue eyes. "Will."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. So what about you? I don't picture you as the big family type." He tucked the picture away and pecked at the register, glancing at me every so often.

"No, it's just my mom and me, but mostly just me after she remarried. I guess it's not all bad, the guy's loaded so my college tuition is paid through grad school, just as long as I pretend to make nice."

"Sounds like a sweet deal," Jericho nodded appreciatively, his sudden smile a total reboot from moments before.

"What do you know about the Paxtons? Their name seems to be plastered everywhere, including this convenience store."

Jericho grimaced, which caught me by surprise. "My aunt and father. Grandpa Paxton came into money later in his life and left it all to my aunt and my dad. 'Manifest Destiny is available to those who have the gumption to take it,' he had told them. He was a lunatic, but knew business. long story short, they invested nearly all the money in this town."

"It must have been a good bet, the parking lot was packed," I supplied, taken aback by his sudden bitterness towards his relatives.

"Yeah, Matthew and Will were great businessmen. Me, not so much."

I reached for Jericho's hand, suddenly overwhelmed by the urge to comfort him. "I'm sure you're doing great."

He barked a sharp pang of laughter. "You're so optimistic. It's hard to come by that in a town like Hideaway Lake."

I blushed and the grin on his face widened. "Has anyone ever told you that you have amazing eyes?"

"I uh-."

The door chimed as River shoved through. "We're good."

I turned back towards Jericho, "Do you know the way to Paxton's Real Estate?"

"Yeah, it's just past main street next to the post office," he gestured.

"Thanks," River nodded to him and took my arm as I fisted the bag in my hand.

"I didn't catch your name!" He called after me.

I pivoted just so I could see him out of the corner of my eye, still walking. "Kate, I'm Kate." 

***Thank you all so much for finishing this first chapter. I know the chapters are a little long, but trust me, it's worth it. Please post your comments and feedback; I'd love to hear your guys' thoughts on my work. All in all, enjoy!***