Page 20 of The Neighbor
“Okay. Thanks! She’ll be thrilled when I tell her what you said. I bet she thought I’d forget to ask you. What time do you get off tonight? I’m here until five.”
Tess smiles as she grabs my hand to give it an excited squeeze. “Perfect! I’m scheduled until five too, so I won’t be putting you out at all. Thank you so much, Adam. You’re a lifesaver! I better get over to the sheet display. Somebody dug through every single package this afternoon, and it’s going to take me the rest of my shift to get it straightened up. I’ll see you out back in the parking lot at five, okay?”
“Sounds great!”
I watch as she hurries off to clean up the mess in the sheets area of her section. She said I was a lifesaver. She has no idea how ironic that is.
Tess slamsthe passenger side car door and turns in her seat to face me. “Thanks so much, Adam! This is so nice of you.”
As I turn the engine over, I glance over at her and force a smile. “Happy to help. Just tell me your address.”
She rattles it off, and I instantly know where that part of town is and that there’s a wooded area nearby. Everything is working out perfectly.
While I drive, she chatters on about work and how our store supervisor gave her a hard time today because of that mess in the bedding area. I nod my agreement when she says he’s an ass and she wishes he’d go on a permanent vacation. Of course, she immediately says she isn’t wanting him dead, if that’s what I’m thinking. Personally, I wouldn’t give a damn if Chet Sanders disappeared forever. I might even make it happen myself if I had the chance.
I listen to all her talk, nodding and chuckling when it seems appropriate as I get more and more excited for what’s about to happen. The woods near where Tess lives will be the perfect spot, assuming there aren’t any kids partying there tonight. I just have to find a way to get her there.
Maybe she wants to get high. I have some weed. I could suggest that.
Then again, if she doesn’t smoke, that might cause me trouble at work, and as much as I hate that job, I need the money. I’ll save it for after I finish.
When we turn onto her street, I see it’s a dead end. It’s like the universe is on my side with this. Now if I can just figure out how to get her into the woods.
“That’s my house. The one at the end of the street.”
Jesus, this is like a gift from God.
The streetlight in front of where she lives flickers like a sign to me that it’s almost time. I grip the steering wheel tightly until my knuckles are white. I can’t lose my chance tonight.
“Your road reminds me of mine. There are woods right near my house too.”
“Oh yeah? Did you spend every day in the summer playing in them when you were little too?” Tess asks with a giggle.
Nodding, I stop right underneath that streetlight and put the car into park. “Yeah. It was like living in a dream world. No cars. Nothing but nature and good times.”
“I wish it wasn’t dark out. I’d show you my favorite spot.”
The disappointment in her voice comes through loud and clear, so I quickly say, “I think I’m going to take a walk in there anyway. I’m not afraid, and after the day we had, I could use some nature to get my head together. Maybe I’ll smoke some too.”
After I say that, I turn to her and add, “Don’t tell anyone if you don’t, okay? I need that job, Tess.”
The light from outside shows her wide eyes as she grabs onto my forearm. “I wouldn’t do that, Adam. You’ve always been so nice to me. The thing is, though, that I do smoke, so maybe you’d like some company on your walk?”
Bingo.
Every cell in my body feels like it’s more alive than ever before, but I need to temper my excitement. I don’t want to scare her off now that I’m so close to my goal. I can practically feel her tiny neck beneath my hands.
The soft skin giving way as I slowly squeeze the life out of her.
The sound of her breathing slowly ebbing away as her last gasp of air leaves her body.
I squeeze my legs together, wishing I wasn’t hard right now. I’ve never gotten excited like this before I kill someone. Maybe I do like Tess more than as just my next victim.
No matter. Sexual need is nothing compared to the kind of need I feel to kill again. I can satisfy myself later in bed, but tosatiate the desire that rules my every thought can only be done one way.
“Okay,” I say as casually as humanly possible. Christ, I feel like I’m trying to hold back wild horses. “Does anyone usually hang out in the woods, or will we be alone? We don’t want any narcs ruining our time.”
Tess shakes her head as she reaches to open the door. “Not a soul lately. I think the cops broke up a big party last month around St. Patrick’s day, so since then, I haven’t seen anyone walk in there after dark.”