Page 19 of Serial Love

The others had to agree that he was right, and the fact was that Bart knew pretty. With his tall frame and bulky muscles, he usually walked away with theprettiest girl in the bar. He continued, “So, for similarities, our killer likes them to be young women, with a certain education, and pretty. Other than that, he’s not too discriminating.”

“Shit,” Cam bit out. “That doesn’t exactly narrow the focus down too much.”

“Okay,” Jack said. “I want Bart, Cam, Monty, Blaise, and Luke to stay on this, continuing to sift through everything coming from the interviews, different police records, and what Monty brings back from the FBI.”

Tossing two files down the table, he said, “Chad and Marc, we’ve got some security escorts to provide assisting Tony Alvarez’s team back in Richmond.” Marc grinned, having worked alongside Alvarez Security before.

Looking at his Saints, he continued, “Men, you’ve all worked hard and traveled a lot. Take a breather this weekend and we’ll convene back on Monday morning here to see what information Monty can provide.”

As the men stood up from the table, stretching their tall frames, Jack added quietly, “Just as a reminder, a couple of weeks ago, I gave Ms. Bridwell a tracker bracelet for her grandmother to use. She’s to call here if Ann wanders again.”

The men nodded their approval but could not hold back the grins.

Jack looked at the familiar faces of the men he trusted and saw the shared glances. Men that had his back and he had theirs. Men who now looked like they were in on a fuckin’ secret. “Don’t read more into itthan what it is,” he growled. “Nothing personal. Just watching out for them.”

“You been back around to see her?” Chad asked. Seeing Jack’s stoic expression, he pushed. “Why not, boss?”

“Jack, you marked her as yours when you told us to back off and didn’t want any of us checking into her,” Blaise reminded.

The men made their way to the kitchen, where Jack pulled beers out for them before they settled on his back porch with its own view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Each taking a long pull from their bottles, the companionable silence was easy to take.

Finally, Jack spoke, “Spent my time in the military protecting people and taking care of the missions that came my way. Loved my brothers, but we had to do a lot of fucked-up shit in a fucked-up war to give people back home their peace. And some of you did a tour over there, or somewhere, in your former lives so you know what I mean. Spent the last few years building up this business knowing what I wanted to do and how to go about doing it.” Jack looked around at the men on his deck. “There’s still a lot of shit in our own country, but I do this so most people can sleep in their beds at night and have pleasant dreams.” He paused, turning his gaze back to the sun setting over the mountains. “But I also knew that this life wasn’t leading to a white picket fence kind of a world for me.” Then his voice softer, almost on an afterthought, he added, “And she deserves that kind of world.”

No one said anything, the summer heat broken bythe breeze that flowed down from the mountains. From the outside, it appeared just as it should—a group of men enjoying each other’s company on a Friday evening on the porch of one of their nice houses with acres of unspoiled land surrounding it.

But inside this home was a command center that allowed them to utilize the equipment, resources, and contacts that Jack had built. His business. His world. The kind of world each of them committed to making safer was not pretty. And the little they had seen of Bethany Bridwell, Jack was right…she deserved pretty.

That still sucked. For their boss and friend. And for them, as they silently pondered what their lives would bring

“You get me now,” Jack said, his voice taking on its typical gruffness while he took another long pull on his beer. “I went over, gave her the bracelet, and I stayed a bit, getting to know her. I liked what I saw and liked what I heard. But I need to keep this world separate from her and the only way I can do that is to not get personal.”

Chad growled and Jack’s eyes turned toward him. Jack watched him, the most selfless man he had ever met, finish his beer while standing next to the rail admiring the view. Chad had spent his early years in the military, working on a bomb squad. He did two tours and then left the military to do work for the ATF continuing to volunteer for bomb duty. Jack held his gaze when Chad turned around.

“Boss?” Chad started. “You giving it all up for the business means that you never really get to enjoy thisworld that you’re making better. This is magnificent,” he continued, his hand making a sweeping motion toward the mountains. “But this alone for the rest of your life…not so great.”

Jack just stared at the men nodding in agreement, giving him head jerks as they finished their drinks and headed into the house. He did not walk them to the front door. He could hear them leave and he stayed on his porch. Alone. And wondered if there could be a place for a blue-eyed, blonde with a heart of gold in his world.

The noises in the next room irritated the man. Why did they have to be so loud? Finally, unable to stand the commotion, he went into the bathroom, shutting the door. Splashing cold water onto his face, he blinked as he looked into the mirror. Taking several deep breaths, he forced his mind to calm. With a glance at the door, making sure it was locked, he turned to the air conditioning vent. Carefully unscrewing the cover, he placed it on the toilet lid before reaching his hand into the duct. He curled his hand around the black handle of the long knife before sliding it from its concealment. The long, slim blade glistened under the bright florescent lights of the bathroom. Scrubbed clean and bleached, there was not a speck of dirt…or blood…on it.

Memories flooded back as they always did, calling to him from many years ago. He had never been what his father had wanted. And his mother? What a weak bitch.Watching his father use the knife with expert precision he yearned for the time when he could wield it himself.

He remembered the last one—how she had wept and begged.Don’t they understand that they have to die? It’s not about them. It’s about me. What I need to do? They don’t matter.He never liked talking to them, but the moment they recognized him gave him such a rush. Sucking in a deep breath, he smiled slowly as the memories soothed over him. Their naked bodies, ripe for the taking. The precision of what he must do.

He ran his fingers lovingly along the flat edge of the knife, careful not to cut himself.You’re so pretty,he thought while admiring the knife’s perfection.You want more don’t you? You want to be used.Heaving a sigh, he replaced the weapon into its exile and screwed the cover back on carefully.Soon. Not now, but soon.

Calmed, he left the bathroom able to face the commotion outside.

8

Bethany stepped off the lodge porch into the early morning sunlight. Another hot, clear day in the Virginia summer and all the cabins are rented. Smiling to herself, she heaved a sigh of relief. Leaving the advertising company had not been an easy decision, after all, the money had been excellent, and the benefits were really good for a recent graduate. And there was a certain excitement living in the large city, where there was always something going on. She had been determined to enjoy life after college—concerts, plays, art shows, and even clubbing with a few friends had filled her time off. Until Gram became sick, and then she withdrew to the country every weekend to help out.

Filling her lungs with the clear air, she then sipped the hot coffee that filled her travel mug. Beginning her early morning walk around, she liked to inspect the cabins and road before deciding what needed to be worked on for the day.

“Can I come too?” Gram said, walking out of the lodge.

Bethany smiled as she turned, seeing Gram in a pair of grey striped pants, a pink flowered top, and purple moccasins on her feet. “You got dressed by yourself this morning,” she remarked with a giggle.

“Well of course I did! I’m not a child,” Gram huffed as she made her way to Bethany, who gave her an affectionate hug.

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