Page 25 of One Night Years Ago

“And it wasn’t a detail that was released to the general public.”

“Did you take a sample of fluids?”

“He used a condom.”

“That’s new.”

“Most serial killers learn.”

“Don’t say that word.”

“I think that’s exactly the word we need to be using, Sheriff. Looking at this poor girl, it’s clear the violence is escalating. If he attacks a third woman, we’ll be looking at another corpse.”

“We’re going to stop him,” she said.

“People are saying it’s Hunter Fowler.”

Natalie shook her head. “It’s not Hunter. He has an ironclad alibi.”

“You need to talk to the town folk about this, Sheriff. The town folk aren’t happy.”

Shit. She needed to get to Hunter’s farm.

“Thank you, Stephen.”

Ford inclined his head, looking at her sadly.

Chapter 11

Hunter

Hunter wasn’t surprised when James Jones and his friends showed up at the farm. It was starting to get dark. His mother and Jesse were watching TV. He just hoped they wouldn’t come out.

He went out to meet the car. Lanie’s father looked like he hadn’t slept since hearing the news about his daughter. Aaron Bowmann, Natalie Bowmann’s father, stood shoulder to shoulder with him.

“Hi, Hunter,” said the retired sheriff. “You know why we’re here?”

Hunter shrugged noncommittally. “A social call, Aaron?”

The third man took a step forward. Hunter recognized Roy. It seemed like every time he saw that man, he was carrying a baseball bat.

“You’re coming with us,” said Roy.

Another man stood behind Roy. Hunter didn’t remember seeing him before.

“Why would I do that?” Hunter asked while he considered his options. The men were all older than him and didn’t comprehend the kinds of fights he’d been in during the last decade. He could probably take them all out before they managed to get a single hit in. Several of the men might be armed, but Hunter was pretty sure Bowmann was the only one who’d really know how to shoot.

Then he thought of Natalie and Lanie and realized he didn’t want to fight anymore.

“You’re coming with us,” Aaron Bowmann said, “because otherwise we’ll go into the house and have this chat with your mother and your brother as well. I don’t think you want us to do that.”

Hunter sighed. It was always going to come down to this. He wasn’t afraid of dying. He’d die happier now knowing he’d confessed what he knew to Natalie. At least she now knew she was looking for somebody else. She’d be on guard.

He hated leaving her and Jesse and his mother alone, but he’d taunted the Grim Reaper enough.

“Leave them out of this, Bowmann. I’ll come with you.”

“Get in the car.”