Billy decided that he could best spend his Saturday morning catching frogs in the creek outside of town. He usually went fishing with his dad on Saturday’s but dad was out of town this weekend.
Billy followed the path that led to the creek. When he neared the bridge he noticed a young girl sitting beneath the bridge. He was going to ask her if she wanted to help him, but he thought that she was too old to be interested in catching frogs.
He looked at his watch. It was 10 a.m. Joey would be here to join him in ten minutes. He could wait ten minutes.
Joey arrived five minutes early carrying a pail with a lid to hold their wares.
“Who’s that? Is that your sister?” Joey asked.
“No. She’s been sitting there since I got here. I think she might be sleeping. I think she’s one of those people who move all around.” Billy then whispered, “It doesn’t look like she’s wearing any clothes.”
“Maybe she’s washing them.”
“I don’t know. I say we just leave her alone. Let’s just catch our frogs.”
“Okay.”
The boys played until close to noon. They were both filthy when they decided it was time to head home.
“Maybe we should wake her up.” Billy said.
“You don’t think she’ll be mad at us?” Joey asked.
“No, I wake my mom up all the time. She thanks me for not letting her oversleep. Maybe she’ll thank us for not letting her oversleep.”
“Okay.”
Both of the boys headed over the girl. They stood behind her and Joey tapped her on the shoulder. “Excuse me miss, it’s near noon. You might want to get up.”
The girl didn’t respond.
“Miss!” Billy said a bit louder. He shook her shoulder gently and she fell backwards exposing her naked mutilated body.
Both boys stood gaping in horror at the many wounds and the knife protruding out of her chest.
“Is she…”? Joey started.
“I don’t know.”
“What do we do?”
“Old man Melville lives near here. Let’s go get him. He’ll know what to do.”
Both boys ran as fast as they could, making sure that neither one of them fell behind. They both ran up the steps and pounded on Melville’s door.
“Hold on. Just a minute. There’s no reason to get your panties in a bunch.” Curtis was very surprised to see two young boys about seven years of age standing in front of him. “If that’s the way you knock to sell Boy Scout candy; I don’t want any.”
“Excuse me sir, but we’re not selling candy…” Billy started.
“Then what are you two doing out here? Do you’re parents know you’re here?”
“Mister, please listen. This is real important.” Joey said.
“We was catching frogs in the creek by the bridge and we saw this girl. She just kind of sat there. We thought she was sleeping. But she didn’t wake up before we were going to head home. We decided to wake her up, but when we shook her…” Billy explained.
Curtis looked at the boys with suspicion. “Is this your idea of some kind of joke?”
“No sir. We saw her. She was dead. She had a hunting knife sticking out of her chest.” Joey said.
“Alright.” Curtis threw on his jacket and the boys led him to the clearing by the bridge. When he saw the girl lying there, he had the boys wait farther back by a tree.
The boys wondered why he hadn’t been as shocked by the sight of the dead girl, but they didn’t say anything to him.
“You don’t suppose he did it do you?” Billy asked quietly.
“Billy, you’re just being stupid.” Joey replied.
“You never know.”
Curtis walked back to the boys and spoke calmly. “Let’s head back to my house and we’ll get my jeep. Then I’ll drive you two to the police station and we’ll report this.”
As Curtis turned to lead the boys back to his house, the boys exchanged worried glances.
————————————————————————
Brad drove his car past Sue’s house several times. He noted the police at her house right after he’d called her last night. He was starting to get worried. If he didn’t get what he wanted he’d be pissed. Sue would not stand in his way.
The last time he passed her house she had noticed his car. He decided that it was time to head back to town and pick up some supplies. His first stop was the department store. Mrs. Whitman was trying to carry on with her day-to-day, but everyone noted how she had gone from bad to worse.
When her daughter was missing, there was still hope. Now that she knew her daughter was dead, there was nothing there but emptiness.
“Hello Mrs. Whitman. How are you holding up?” Brad asked as he came to check out.
“Oh, hello Brad. It’s been so long since I’ve seen you. When did you get back in town?” Mrs. Whitman tried to fake a smile, but it only added to the obviousness of her grieving.
“I’ve been back a few days now.”
“What’re you doing back?”
Brad was caught by surprise and paused. “Uh, well, I’ve just been away for so long, I decided it was time to head back to my roots again.”
“That’s nice. Have you been to see your mother yet?”
“Not yet. She’s next.”
Mrs. Whitman rang him up, but her eyes lingered on the hunting knife he had just purchased. “I didn’t know you hunted.”
“I don’t. I’m just living out of suitcase for a while and it comes in handy.”
Mrs. Whitman regained her composure, but couldn’t shake the eerie feeling she had about Brad. She couldn’t shake the feeling that he was lying. “Well, you tell your mother that I said, ‘Hi.’”
“I will. Bye Mrs. Whitman.” Brad breathed a sigh of relief once he was out of the store. That was close. Too close.
————————————————————————
“Sue, I don’t think you should go out tonight.” Mrs. Collins said. “What if that awful man is out there and he decides that tonight is…”
“What do you suggest I do mom? Lock myself up until he’s caught? He knows that I’m scared and he’s thriving on it. I’m not going to be a prisoner. I told Brad I’d go out with him and I will. Nothing is going to stop me. I came here to get away from problems and all I’ve been doing since I got here is sitting in the house or in the police station. I’m not a prisoner. He will not trap me in this house.” Sue was very indignant. While she understood her mother’s concern, she was an adult and after all, the killer didn’t seem to want to touch her.
“Alright, if you want to go out I support you. But, please, be careful. I’m not ready to let you go yet.”
“Don’t worry mom. Brad always took care of me before and he’ll take care of me now. I’ll make sure we stay in public view at all times. Besides, We’re heading to town. We’re not going to hang around The Pier.”
————————————————————————
John was overwhelmed by what the boys had told him. He had sent the coroner over to pick up the body and he had taken the boys home. Now he was heading out to meet Curtis again. He was disturbed by Curtis’s behavior. He had tried to head over earlier, but it was well after eight before he arrived. The boys and their parents had been very distraught and had kept him several hours. Then the reporter’s had showed up. The last thing he wanted was for The Pier to have any more publicity. The people here lead simple lives and they liked it.
John had a million thoughts as he pulled into Curtis’s drive way. He walked up to the door and was about to knock when Curtis opened it. “Have a seat.”
“Curtis, what’s this about. I’m really tired and it’s been a long day.”
“Well, it’s about to get even longer.”
“What are you talking about Curtis? Speak to me in English. Don’t beat around the bush. I’m tired.”
“I know who murdered those girls.”
To be continued…