The Dark Places by R. Whitfield (novel24 TXT) 📕

why?” he screamed in frustration. She cringed under his glare. “I wanted to ask him what you felt like!”

Surin dry retched loudly, throwing her body forward as her stomach spasmed. He ignored her, sat down and continued as if nothing had happened.

“All I had to do to get him in the car was show him this.” He held up the necklace, the light from the candle reflected off the pendant’s face just like it had done the night she gave it back to Eamon.

“How do you have that?” she spluttered, trying to piece things together.

“I followed you home that night and watched you put it in his mailbox,” he said with a shrug. “I took it, you see. I needed it, do you understand?”

She looked at him and shuddered. Her eyes began to focus, and his features started to realign.

“I wanted what he had. I wanted you.” He kissed her bare shoulder. “I needed to put this around your neck so you would be mine and it’s finally happening.” He giggled like a schoolgirl as he looped it over her head. She lay there, knowing there was no point in fighting him any more.

“I told Eamon you needed to see him and that you gave me the necklace to prove it was you.”

Surin knew what was coming next, and she started to cry silent tears for the boy she had once loved.

“He was so excited, talking about proposing to you, blah, blah, blah. I grabbed the wheel, undid his seatbelt and ran us into the nearest tree.”

Surin was trying to concentrate on his face, trying to place it.

“I got a nasty little head wound which left a bit of a mess, but wow, he didn’t come out of it well.”

Surin didn’t want to hear any more. “Please, stop,” she said.

“Stop?” He laughed. “But this is the best part!” he continued. “He had no face left.” He held his arms out, smiling. “That perfect, pretty boy with tousled blonde hair and ridiculous dimples, there was nothing left.”

Surin turned her head away from him as tears streamed down her face. He reached over and touched her cheek, almost tenderly.

“I couldn’t let him live, Surin,” he explained, “not after he had touched you,” he added, his voice darkening. “And don’t think I haven’t seen that stupid fucking Parker Rhodes trying to slime his way into your pants either.”

Surin’s head whipped back around at the mere mention of Parker’s name, and a flicker of hope started burning deep inside her. “He has nothing to do with this,” she said through gritted teeth, feeling her fear evolve into anger.

He stared at her for a moment and tilted his head. “You like him?” he stated carefully.

Surin swallowed the lump in her throat. “He’s my partner and nothing more,” she replied, but the tremor in her voice gave her away.

“Oh, no, no, no,” he responded, clicking his tongue. “If there is one thing I will not tolerate, it’s competition.” He stood. “Maybe I should deal with Mr Rhodes first?”

Surin bucked against her restraints. “Please,” she whispered.

He smiled down at her with a face she still did not recognise. “Begging me already, Sury? How delightful!”

***

Parker dropped Madison off at the station as promised and then made a beeline for Surin’s parents’ house. When he arrived, both Erin and Michael were waiting at the front door.

“Where is she?” Michael asked, his voice calm and low.

“I don’t know, Michael,” Parker replied honestly. “I need to find out where she went this afternoon.”

They all walked inside and sat down in the family room. Parker tried to avoid staring at the framed pictures of Surin.

“Make some coffee please, love, if you don’t mind,” Michael asked Erin gently. She nodded and started busying herself in the kitchen. “What’s going on?” he asked as soon as she was out of earshot.

Parker sighed. “The serial killer we have been after?” Michael nodded. “Well, I think he’s fixated on Surin, and I have no clue as to why.” His elbows rested on his knees as his head fell into his hands. “What I do know is that it seems to be connected to Eamon Sutherland,” he added as Erin re-entered the room carrying a tray of coffee cups.

“Eamon Sutherland?” she echoed. “What on earth?” They each took a cup, cradling it carefully.

“Sury broke up with Eamon right before college, literally the day before graduation.”

Parker placed his mug down and took out his notebook. “Please, Erin, go on.”

She glanced at Michael, who nodded his head in encouragement.

“She was only eighteen, no, this is crazy!”

Parker tried a new tack. “Did they have a fight?”

Erin shook her head. “She was in love with that boy and if you know Surin, you know she doesn’t fall easily.” She held eye contact with Parker, and he felt his cheeks flush. She pretended not to notice and continued. “Something happened that night. She left home a happy, carefree girl and came back different.” She sniffed. “I asked her if they’d had a fight, but she said with college coming up she knew it wouldn’t last and it was best to end it.”

Parker nodded.

“It sounded so sensible at the time, but now that I think about it, she was so in love with that boy, and she was only young, she should have been gushing over about how they would make it work, not how it had to end.”

Michael leaned forward and placed his hand on her knee. “The next day, she asked me to skip the graduation parade and drive her straight to college to get settled.” He shrugged. “It sounded like a smart idea to me, so I did it.”

Parker picked up his cup and took a cautionary sip. “Did she see him again? Eamon?” he asked.

Erin shook her head sadly.