Prologue
At five in the morning, it was still very dark out. The cicadas were already singing their strong, throaty chorus, promising a day of intense heat and humidity. Cheri had driven her beat up old Honda to the boat launch at Holt Lake.
“Jeff? Where are you?” she called out in a stage whisper. “I should have known better than to come out here.”
Cheri crept around to the back of the tackle shop using the flashlight of her iPhone to light the way. “Jeff?” She called out quietly. The humidity was already frizzing her naturally curly hair and the peaty smell of the lake made her crinkle her nose.
“I’m going to give you two more minutes then I’m going home. I can’t believe I came out here for you this early in the morning. I must be crazy.”
Cheri saw a dark figure at the other end of the tackle shop. She quickened her pace.
“Jeff! Finally…. oh! What are you doing here? What –“Her words were quickly cut off as she felt a white-hot pain erupt inside her. The coppery smell of fresh blood filled the humid air as she looked at her attacker.
“Shhh, sleep now,” was all she heard whispered as the blade that had opened her gut was driven into her neck.
