Page 6 of Nightmare

“The story you pick, it’ll need to be a good one. Something that people want. Have you got any ideas?”

Do I ever!

There is a story I’ve been wanting to cover since before I became a reporter, hell, it’s a case that has both stumped and fascinated me since the very first moment it happened. We moved into town probably ten years after it happened, but it was the talk of the place, and, to this day, it still is. The double murder of Daniel and Braithe Gregory – said to have been killed by the son of a local biker. The entire town was in an uproar, for years those bikers couldn’t walk down the street without abuse, and their names were forever tarnished, but, mostly,hiswas forever destroyed.

Western Aiken. Now known as Nightmare.

“I want to cover the murder of Daniel and Braithe Gregory. I’ve always known there was so much more to that story, and I would love to get to the bottom of it.”

“Absolutely not. Western Aiken is out of prison, and he’s more than a little dangerous. Nobody has been able to get near him since his release, and the last reporter who attempted to speak to him, he chased down with his truck and nearly killed her. No, I won’t allow it.”

So dramatic.

I huff and wave a hand. “That reporter didn’t know what she was doing. I won’t approach it like that. You said I could do something I wanted, and this is what I want. That story runs deep, and the entire town has been screaming for answers for so long. I want to know what really happened that day, and I want Western to be the one to tell me.”

Pete shakes his head. “He murdered a man and then sexually assaulted his son and killed him. They’re linked to a heap of child trafficking, which is still ongoing. The murder, however, was an open and shut case.”

But it wasn’t.

I never believed that was the whole story. Something inside me always told me there was more to it. Why would a man of twenty just suddenly take a man and his son and murder them both? He didn’t have a single criminal record, he was well known around town, and he had never hurt anyone in his life. Not to mention the fact that it was the mayor who called the crime in. A mayor who I’ve heard more than once is bad news. Maybe Westerndiddo it, but until I find out for sure, I’ll never not think about that case.

“Please, Pete. Give me a chance. I’ll be safe. This is important to me. Braithe’s mom, she’s still alive, don’t you think she deserves the truth?”

“She got the truth, Bonnie. That man took her family.”

“You’re certain of that?”

His eyes meet mine. “He’s the son of a biker.”

“And?”

Exhaling, Pete runs a hand through his messy brown hair. “Fine, I’ll let you look into it. But if there is so much as one situation that I deem dangerous or unsatisfactory, I’m pulling you out. You asked for a chance, and I’m going to give it to you. Don’t let me down.”

I leap out of my chair, clapping my hands together before doing a small twirl. “You won’t regret this,” I cry happily.

“Before you go, I want a full breakdown on how you’re going to approach this. I’ll need to approve it before you do anything.”

“I will do it right now.” Beaming, I spin on my heel and rush out of the room. “Thank you, Pete!”

I thought I was about to get fired but, instead, I’ve been given the opportunity of a lifetime.

To get the answers I’ve been seeking for so long.

What really happened that day?

And is Western Aiken innocent?

I’m so ready to find out.

~*~*~*~*~

“WESTERN? YOU’RE GOINGto cover Western?”

My best friend and confidant, Leo, stares at me with wide brown eyes. Running a hand over his perfectly styled hair, he shakes his head a little, confused. Then, he crosses his buff arms and frowns.

“Don’t look at me like that,” I say, taking a sip of my iced latte from Starbucks. God, it’s good. “I know what you’re thinking, but I’m going to be smart about this.”

“He quite literally tried to run over the last reporter who attempted to talk to him. The man is fucking crazy. Nobody dares to even speak to him. I saw him at that bar in town, you know, the stripper one, only a few days ago and he was just staring at his drink. He sits at that same place, staring down at his glass with those empty eyes. He’s dangerous.”

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