CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

 

Labor Day weekend in Bluffs Bay kicked off with the annual Saturday parade down Main Street. There had been some talk of canceling this year’s parade in light of the murders in The Woods community, which had affected the entire city. But the people living in The Woods had insisted that the parade go on, sending a message to the killer that he would not make them prisoners of fear.

Selene had personally lobbied the mayor and police chief not to break tradition. She put her faith in law enforcement and human nature that The Woods Strangler would be caught soon. She hoped the list of names she and Quinn had given Dennis Cramer would be helpful. It was still hard to fathom that the killer could be one of them.

In the meantime, they had to get on with their lives and not be reduced to looking over their shoulders at every turn, petrified at what or who might be looming there.

Selene glanced around uneasily as she stood on the sidewalk beside Quinn and the Bonets. She still hadn’t ruled out Michel as a suspect. She hadn’t received a call from the anonymous caller in over a week, nor had she had any contact with her ex.

Selene watched as a group of firefighters, including Julian McKenzie, rode by on a fire truck, waving at the crowd. She waved at him, but wasn’t sure he even noticed. The Woods High School marching band came next, followed by some wonderful floats.

She glanced to her left and spotted Todd Foxworth holding hands with a beautiful, model-thin woman. Selene smiled. Maybe it was possible after all for Todd to settle down with one woman.

Beyond them, Selene thought she saw Michel looking at her with a sly grin on his lips. She blinked with despair, and he was gone. Had she imagined it? Was she getting so paranoid about her ex-husband, the caller, and The Woods Strangler that she was starting to see things?

Her legs felt wobbly.

“Are you all right, darling?” Quinn asked.

Selene turned to him, trying to still her erratic heartbeat. They had not discussed the unknown caller’s allegations about him again. She’d been satisfied with Quinn’s defense and wasn’t going to let some lunatic caller have her doubt Quinn’s innocence ever again. He’d have to find someone else to play mind games with.

“I’m fine—just a little tired,” she told him.

“What you need is to get off your feet and get some food in your stomach,” Quinn said. “Marvin and Elisa are talking about heading over to the ethnic festival on St. Clair. You want to go with them? I’m willing to sample as many dishes as you want—as long as I can pronounce them and they’ve been sufficiently cooked.”

Selene laughed, feeling better already. “I’m game.”

Marvin overheard their conversation. “So what are we waiting for? Let’s get outta here.”

“Maybe we can think of a way to take part in the parade next year,” Elisa said to Selene as they made their way through the crowd.

“Sounds like a good plan,” Selene said. She made a mental note to that effect.

* * *

Michel Giovanni kept his distance as he watched Selene. He was pretty sure she’d spotted him. He had to be more careful. The last thing he needed was her complaining to the cops that he’d violated the restraining order, giving them an excuse to arrest him. He touched the gun in his jacket pocket, keeping it handy just in case.

Selene and the others headed away from the parade route. Michel followed them, dismissing anyone who got in his way with a scathing look. It was nearly impossible for him to stand back and watch the best part of his life move on without going after her.

All in good time.

He’d had Selene right where he wanted her in the basement: scared, vulnerable, and ready to listen to reason.

Then that asshole came out of nowhere and blindsided me.

Now a judge tells him he can’t get within five hundred feet of Selene or he’ll go to jail. He wanted to tell the judge to go to hell.

He wasn’t about to let a stupid piece of paper come between him and Selene.

Not in this lifetime.

But he wasn’t prepared to do anything reckless either.

Michel knew he was caught between a rock and a hard place. He watched Quinn Herrera put his arm around Selene, as if he was staking a claim on his private property.

But Michel still had a trick or two up his sleeve. This wasn’t over yet. He hadn’t returned to Bluffs Bay to get his woman back, only to give up the fight too easily.

No, there was another way he could win her back.

With a nice bundle of cash to go along with it.

He thought about the four hundred grand they were offering as reward money. It could be all his and he’d also get Selene for his trouble.

The people in The Woods were looking for a hero to rescue them from a scary monster. Michel believed he could be their hero. Then he could tear that damned restraining order into tiny pieces. Hell, they’d probably even elect him as the next mayor of Bluffs Bay. And no one would give a damn about what went on behind closed doors between him and Selene.

Except someone who had more to lose than he did...

Michel sipped a soft drink as he watched them turn onto a street, heading toward an underground garage.

He turned to watch the parade, blending in with the crowd. Though his thoughts were definitely elsewhere...