The Lullaby Killer was pulling out all the stops. Everything he had done was leading to this, and he quickly found himself completely elated. All of his concerns over the passing weeks were a thing of the past. All the times Mason Black had stood in his way were about to come back to bite him on his old ass. It was time for the big payoff… almost.
He parked the RV close to the house but out of sight. Frankly, he was surprised to see there were no police cars nearby. No sign of Mason, his cop friend, and not even so much as a concerned neighbor keeping a cautious eye over the nearby fence.
This made it very easy for him.
The killer strode toward the end of the driveway. It wasn’t empty, but there was no Mustang. A good sign, if there ever was one. It made him grin uncontrollably, and he tried to cover it with a gloved hand. There was next to nothing stopping him from taking what he wanted, despite it being broad daylight. This sure was one of his more ballsy moves.
Unprepared to waste another second enjoying this, the killer made his way up the drive and pressed the doorbell. He heard it buzz, but he kept his finger on it. Impatience was getting the better of him yet again, but he didn’t want to scare her off. He released the hard press on the doorbell and waited. Waited…
What if nobody is home?
No, he couldn’t let thoughts like that in. There was always an opportunity to break in and do whatever he wanted to do. But his primary plan—the one that had led him to this particular house in the first place—was to take. Not to leave. Besides, whatever he did inside that house would only serve to make the private dick more cautious. It wasn’t something he could afford. Not while so much violent fun hung in the balance.
It felt like forever until she answered, but it had been worth the wait. The woman stood in the doorway while a six-year-old remained guarded behind her long, slender legs. The killer grinned again, letting his eyes roam up the length of her, enjoying the view—the opportunity, as he knew it would only happen this one time. Finally, his gaze lay on the dark face of a beautiful young Whitney Houston. She stared back at him with concern that quickly transformed into horrified realization. She recognized him, and she knew she was in trouble.
Understatement of the year, he thought.
He let himself in.