5:10 PM
Sheriff Carter sat in his office where he was reviewing paper work from the Noah Swan murder. On his desk was a picture of him and Amber in the mountains, holding each other and smiling for the camera. Next to that was a picture of Bethany Kidd, sitting and smiling for the camera at her desk in the front of the Sheriff’s station. Carter made a point of keeping pictures of people that meant something to him. It kept him motivated.
He slid his reading glasses over the bridge of his nose and looked closely at picture from the crime scene. Blood was all over the carpet and walls – staining them a dark red. He looked more closely at photographs of the ‘urban legend’ on the wall.
It was ridiculous to think that Kelly Rodgers had come back from the dead – absolutely ridiculous. And technically, she had not even committed a single murder the year before. John Blankenship had confessed to all of them. So why would she be back to kill again?
The creation of the ‘urban legend’ was obviously from someone uneducated in the Harvest Slasher case, and since all the students at the high school seemed to know about the ‘legend’, it might be school related – not to mention the murder victim was a teacher there.
Carter studied the pictures some more before Harper Cole’s voice pierced the intercom.
“Sheriff, you have some visitors,” she said.
“Who are they?”
“Mayor Hopkins and some guy in a suit.”
“Could you be more vague next time, Harper? Send them back.”
Carter removed his glasses and straightened up the collar on his shirt. He stacked the pictures in a neat pile and stood up just as Mayor Hopkins entered his office with a tall man with dark hair, wearing a neatly pressed suit.
“Carter, good evening.” Mayor Hopkins extended his hand and shook Carter’s.
“Mayor, as always,” Carter said, focusing his attention on the stranger in the room. “And this is?”
“Spencer Holland,” the tall man said, shaking Carter’s hand. “Agent Spencer Holland.”
“FBI?” Carter asked.
“Yes sir,” Holland said in a deep and gritty voice.
“Spencer and I go way back, Carter. We worked together in Portland for a while, and then he was accepted into the Bureau and I went into politics,” the Mayor explained.
“What brings you to Stewart Hollow, Agent Holland?” Carter asked, sort of confused by a Federal presence.
“The Mayor here wanted another set of eyes and more experience in town for a while.”
“Carter, it’s not that I don’t trust your investigation, but after last year, I think we need to take better care of it this time around,” Hopkins said.
“Better care of it this time around? Mayor, with all due respect, we are dealing with a single murder here. Besides the message on the wall at Mr. Swan’s house, there is nothing else to suggest this is in any way related to the killings last year. Our station has not received any threats or letters, and it’s been pretty quiet over the past couple of days.” Carter pleaded his case.
“Sheriff, do you currently have an suspects in the Noah Swan murder?” Holland politely asked.
“Not yet. I think it might be somehow related to the school, so my Deputy and I are heading there tomorrow to ask some questions to the students and staff.”
“That’s a start. Can you point me in the direction of Mr. Swan’s home? I’d like to take a look around,” Holland said.
Carter wrote down directions and handed the paper to the Agent. He nodded his head, thanking Carter, and left the office.
“Mayor, we don’t need help. What kind of message is that sending to the community? Their own law enforcement can’t even handle a murder investigation?” Carter asked.
“Carter, it’s not you. I need this thing to be wrapped up quickly.”
“Because of the election next month, right?”
Hopkins nodded. “If I win, we all win. It will mean good things for me and for you, Carter.”
Carter didn’t say a word.
“Clear this thing up before Spencer. Make me regret bringing him in.”
“This is not like last October, Mayor.”
“Just keep trying to convince yourself of that, Ben. But you know just as well as I do that it’s not over. This was all part of Kelly and John’s plan last year. They wanted the legend to live on. This is it living on.”
Mayor Hopkins left the room and Carter sat back at his desk, irritated.
October 4th – 12:45 AM
Jasper Finch walked out of his bedroom with his ear buds in, blaring a deafening ‘screamo’ band. His house was dark for the most part, and completely empty. His mother and sisters, who still lived at home, were visiting family in Washington.
Jasper grabbed a bunch of clothes, which had been piled up in the hallway, and shoved them into a hamper at the end of the hall. He then jogged down the stairs and into the living room.
Outside, the night was still and the air was cool. A dog was barking somewhere nearby, and echoed in the dark. Leaves fell off the trees in the neighborhood and floated down, landing gently in the grass. It seemed peaceful, but something was off. Something was interrupting the night’s stillness. The evening grew uneasy.
Jasper lay on the couch with the dull light from the television flickering in the otherwise dark room. His ear buds were still in, but his playlist had run out. The only sounds were coming from the screaming victims of the army of vampires on the TV.
Jasper’s iPhone began vibrating on the coffee table, jerking him out from his sleep. He quickly gathered his thoughts and grabbed it. It was an incoming text from Samantha.
SAMANTHA: U up?
Jasper checked the time in the corner of the small touch screen – 1:25 AM. Why was she texting so late? He responded.
JASPER: Yeah. Why are U?
SAMANTHA: Couldn’t sleep.
JASPER: Me neither. Darn dog kept me up earlier.
SAMANTHA: If I tell you something, promise you wont tell Charlotte?
JASPER: Sure. What?
Jasper was intrigued. It wasn’t like Samantha to go behind her best friends back about things.
Outside, the dog started barking again. Japer leaned over the back of the couch to the window. He pulled back the curtains and looked outside. He couldn’t make out too much, but it looked like someone was walking on the sidewalk. That’s probably why the dog was barking. Why is everyone up so late tonight?
SAMANTHA: I’m jealous that she’s in the play and I’m not.
Jasper read the text, already knowing Samantha was jealous, but not sure why it was keeping her from sleeping. He responded.
JASPER: I don’t know what to tell U. You’ll have another chance.
SAMANTHA: No I won’t. The theater department isn’t sponsoring a musical this year, and this is the only production the school is going to do. It’s our senior year. I wanted one more chance on the stage.
JASPER: Maybe Charlotte could use an understudy?
SAMANTHA: Oh please, Jasper. Charlotte loves this play. Even if she did get sick, she’d still find a way to be in it.
JASPER: What do you want me to say, Sam?
SAMANTHA: Well…
Jasper smirked. Here it comes…
SAMANTHA: We find a way to boot Libby Hatcher from the play. She’s a terrible actress anyway – not to mention ugly as sin. Then I’ll just take her part.
JASPER: Lol. Easier said that done, Sam. Try again.
Jasper waited for her response. Samantha was always doing things like this. Every time she wanted something, she would make sure she got it. Or she would at least put up a huge fight in an elaborate attempt to get it.
The dog outside had quieted down. Jasper ripped the curtains aside again and looked out. There was no one. He turned back around, still waiting for Samantha’s response. She was probably thinking up a Plan B – a useless Plan B.
Jasper looked up at the TV and watched a teenage girl get ripped apart by a horde of vampires. There was blood everywhere. He smiled. What couldn’t they show on TV anymore?
He looked back down at his phone. There was still no response. Jasper quickly created and sent the next text.
JASPER: This better be good, Sam. Lol.
He sat back and waited for a response. The minutes went by and Jasper’s smile departed. There was no response coming.