Page 18 of Scorched (Killer #2)

“You think it was Caesar?” Elise nodded.

“Yeah, you’re probably right. He likes to scare people.

It’s the only way he knows how to get attention.

” Her gaze went to the bathroom, where the door opened and Brandon came out, his hands wet and dripping.

Her eyes shone with love for her son. She’d do anything for her boys.

Her oldest son glanced their way. After a long moment, he ducked into the bedroom he shared with Luke.

Elise’s shoulders sagged. “What am I going to do?”

“What you always do. Stand tall and make sure your boys are okay.” If he could, Paul would wrap her in his arms and shield her from all that was bad in the world, shoulder her burdens so she didn’t have to.

But she’d pushed him away, determined to manage her fear alone, and he had a job to do.

Standing around here wasn’t getting it done.

“Are you going to be all right until nightfall? I have to go to the office and check on a few things. I’ll be back before eleven tonight. ”

“I’ll keep the door locked.”

“Good. And don’t open it for anyone but me.”

“Don’t worry,” she said in a tone low enough Brandon wouldn’t overhear. “I’m scared enough now to follow orders.”

“And I know this won’t make you feel any better but leave the note on the wall. I want someone from our forensics team to take a look at it.”

Elise shook her head. “No.”

“Okay, how about I get Mel to catalog the evidence, take pictures and run it through evidence with the location undisclosed. Deal?”

Elise chewed on her lower lip, the action making him want to taste that lip himself. “Okay. But just Mel.”

“I’ll have her here as soon as possible.” He turned for the door.

“Paul?” her voice pulled him back to stand in front of her.

“Yes?”

She stared up at him through dew-kissed blue eyes. “Thanks.” She leaned up on her toes and pressed a sweet kiss to his lips.

Paul fought the urge to crush her in his arms and deepen the kiss. Instead, he ended the kiss and stepped away. “You don’t have to thank me. It’s my job.”

Elise’s tears trickled out of the corners of her eyes, then turned and fled for the boys’ bedroom.

As Paul closed the front door behind him, Luke’s voice called out, muffled by the heavy wood door, “Hey, where’d Alex go? I wanted to show him my Spider-Man.”

A smile crossed Paul’s face. A boy like Luke would be fine no matter what. Brandon knew too much for his own good. That child acted more like an old man.

Anger surged in Paul’s gut. The boy’s childhood had been stolen from him by his abusive father and now by this new threat.

And Elise...how much torture could one woman stand? The fear she must be feeling had to be overwhelming.

Paul climbed into his truck and headed for the sheriff’s office. He had to tell Sheriff Engel about the notes. Holding back information was almost as bad as committing the crime.

Elise wandered around the house, checking each window lock, door lock and deadbolt. Her cozy little house felt more like a cage than a home. She needed a fortress, not a house of sticks.

The cell phone rang. She hurried to answer, thinking it might be Paul with another round of cautions. She didn’t care, she felt more secure in his presence, even when it was only his voice. The caller ID displayed “Unknown”.

“Did you forget something?” she asked, her voice slightly breathless, the feel of Paul’s lips still tingling on hers.

“No, I remember every detail.” The voice wasn’t Paul’s. It was mechanical and disguised. “Did you like my artwork?”

Cold chills shook Elise so hard her teeth rattled. “Who is this? ”

“You know who.”

“No, I don’t.”

“After eight years of marital bliss, you’d forget me so soon?”

“My husband is dead.”

“Are you sure I’m dead? Did you bury me yourself? Did you see my body?”

“No,” she whispered, her hand shaking so hard she almost dropped the telephone.

“Does the fed make you scream in bed like I did?”

“Shut up! My husband is dead.”

“Does he make you cry out his name?” the mechanical voice said.

“None of your business!”

“Get rid of the new boyfriend, Alice. He’ll never be enough man for you. He didn’t catch me. He’s not the hero everyone makes him out to be.”

“What do you know about being a man? Do you think real men are supposed to hurt women?” She forced a laugh she didn’t feel. “Any man who hurts women is a coward. You must be afraid of other men, if you have to hurt women to get off.”

She must have struck a chord in him because the phone remained silent for several long moments.

“Do you hear me?” Elise turned away from her boys’ bedroom door and walked into the kitchen, placing distance between her children and her. They didn’t need to know. They shouldn’t have to know. “You’re a coward. ”

“Don’t make me mad, Alice.”

“Why? Can’t you take it like a man?” Why didn’t she just shut up? Why was she egging on a killer? Why was she so angry? Because her anger masked her fear, stiffened her spine and made her want to take action.

Elise Johnson was tired of being afraid. Tired of running. Tired of men controlling her life. “Leave me the hell alone.”

“Sorry, baby. I can’t.” The mechanical voice breathed into the phone, the static crackling in Elise’s ear. “Say goodbye to pretty Mary Alice.”

A woman screamed in the background.

“No! Wait!” Elise gulped past the horror clogging her throat.

“Change your mind? Want me to visit you instead?”

“No! Don’t hurt that woman. Please.”

“Why? Are you willing to take her place?”

Elise thought of her boys. If she gave herself to this maniac, they’d be orphaned. “Don’t hurt her. It’s me you want, not her.”

“True, but I want you to suffer like you made me suffer.”

“What do you want from me? Why are you doing this?”

“Like the rhyme said...” He laughed. “They remind me of everything I lost because of you...Alice.”