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Death did not become her.

After a long, restless night, she felt the effects, so she didn’t need the reminder staring at her in the mirror. A bit of makeup helped to cover the shadows under her eyes. Since she hated wearing makeup, it bugged her she had to resort to that.

But today was important, so she would’ve donned the makeup anyway.

She erased the evidence of the lack of sleep the best she could, then added a hint of green eye shadow with a subtle dark shade of brown. A touch of mascara. A smidgeon of blush. Lipstick? That was the question.

She rarely worried about makeup. When the situation called for it, she didn’t apply an enormous amount. It wasn’t her thing or something she was very good at.

But she had to look her best today—and hide the markings of a bad night.

A truly frightening night.

So terrifying she didn’t even want to think about it.

She picked out a green blouse to accent her eyes and a pair of light-tan slacks to complete her outfit. The blouse already drew attention to her eyes. So, yeah, why draw attention to her lips.

No lipstick.

And her hair.

Ugh.

There was no helping her hair—ever. She had the longest, thickest, curliest dark-brown hair on the planet. Taming the wildness of it was a battle every day, so she didn’t engage in the war. It was what it was, and she couldn’t change that feature about herself. Instead, she tried to embrace it. Wild curls and all.

Maddie poked her head out of the bathroom.

6:30 AM

Fifteen more minutes and she needed to be on the road or she’d be late for her first day. An opportunity of a lifetime had fallen at her feet. She was headed to Neptune to help renovate their library. If all went well, her ultimate goal would be even closer in her reach. One day she would have the run of Veston’s library.

Making sure to grab her phone, since she had a nasty habit of leaving it everywhere but where it should be, she headed downstairs to grab a quick bite to eat.

Not a second behind her schedule, she exited the house out the front door as usual. The sun was making a gradual appearance.

A gorgeous day for a beautiful new start. As long as she kept her attitude positive, it would erase the reminder of last night.

A slight breeze whipped through her hair, twisting her unruly locks in front of her face as she headed for her car, which sent a chill straight to her bones. She should’ve grabbed a jacket.

Then she froze in her tracks.

Glass coated the ground, the tiny shards reflecting in the sun. A gaping hole glared at her from where the driver’s side window should’ve been.

Her steps were laggard as she tried not to count how many long, deep scratches ran along the driver’s side panel.

She failed.

Eight.

Eight long scratches ran from one end of the car to the other.

A part of her wanted to run back inside and grab Dottie, her beloved baseball bat she’d named at the age of seven. Arm herself. Make sure nothing could jump out at her and attack.

The other part of her made her draw closer and walk around to inspect everything.

Only the driver’s side appeared damaged. It looked personal to her, but she wasn’t the expert. Her brother was.

This was not a conversation she wanted to have with him, but she pulled her phone out anyway. Of course, he sounded upset and concerned all rolled into one.

Goose bumps flushed across her skin as she waited for him to arrive.

What she thought last night had been her imagination made her doubt herself. She’d heard noises that had frightened her to the point she’d searched the house from top to bottom, clutching Dottie in her hands as she went. When she found her cat, Ollie, scrounging in the kitchen for food, she felt ridiculous for overreacting to the sounds she should’ve recognized. That was a nightly ritual for Ollie.

But maybe she hadn’t overreacted. Were the noises last night her cat, or something else?

Did someone vandalize her car and then attempt to get inside the house via the kitchen door? Or was she creating nasty scenarios in her head?

This could’ve happened at any time. Even early in the morning when she’d been sleeping.

Shaking off the trembles—because heaven forbid her brother witness her fear—she tried to relax and calm her breathing. The last thing she needed was her brother to notice how this affected her.

Pulling herself together, she shook off the last remaining tremors when Lucas parked behind her vehicle. He inspected her car before saying anything.

Sometimes she hated his silent treatment while his mind processed things.

“You can borrow my car until we can get yours fixed.”

“Who do you think did it?” As if he would know the culprit by looking at her car.

She resisted the temptation to tell him about the noises last night. His protectiveness already drove her insane. And she was ninety percent confident it had been Ollie making the noises, and nothing else. Ninety percent was pretty close to a hundred.

He turned around. Deep creases lined his forehead. “We’ve had some vandalism going on around town. It could be that. Probably a bunch of kids with nothing better to do. This doesn’t help ease my worry about you driving an hour every day back and forth from Neptune.”

“It’ll be fine, Lucas. What does this have to do with driving?”

“I would hate it if the same maniac ran you off the road. Don’t hesitate to call me if you need me. Seriously. Call if you need me for anything.” He ran a hand over his jaw, then turned his attention back to her car.

“How did we go from a bunch of kids vandalizing stuff to someone trying to run me off the road?” She huffed at his over-exaggeration and rolled her eyes.

Typical protective behavior. Overreacting. Exactly the reason she didn’t want to tell him about the noises last night.

He had the nerve to glare, then his expression softened. “Okay. Maybe I’m exaggerating.”

There was no maybe in her mind. He was!

“Call me when you get there.” Lucas grabbed a hug from her. “I worry about you. I know you’re excited about going to Neptune. Promise me you’ll be safe.”

Maddie squeezed him hard, then stepped away. He might annoy her, but he was the best brother she had.

Well, he was the only brother she had, but still. The best. “Don’t worry. I have to go. I don’t want to be late on the first day. I’m already behind schedule.”

Lucas handed her his keys. Maddie ran for his car, hopped in, and waved goodbye as she backed out. She hoped she wouldn’t be late. First impressions were everything.

Turning up the radio, she let her mind drift away and focused on the country music filling the car. Fifty minutes later, she made it to Neptune with ten minutes to spare.

Before taking a turn off Dawson Street, the main drag in town, she saw a café—Trident Café.

Coffee. That would calm her nerves.

Today would be a good day. All she had to do was think positive.

* * *

Sunrises were amazing as the colors rose to mingle as one. The little peek-a-boo of orange melding into sometimes pink or purple and then shining brightly to a brilliant blue.

Today’s sunrise was exceptionally pleasing. A good start to the morning.

He chuckled as he looked down at the blood dripping from his fingers, reminiscing the intoxicating way she died.

Red was a nice color. A deep crimson. He cherished the way it flowed out of her body as he stabbed her.

He had no idea how many times he graced her delicate skin with the blade. He lost count after twenty. It hadn’t mattered after a while. The marveling power he held in his fingertips. Stroke after stroke after stroke.

She was so stupid thinking she could run from him. But that had also been part of the fun.

He turned toward her to have one last look.

Sprawled at an angle, half-naked, blood coated lovingly everywhere, her eyes were still wide open with terror.

Oh, the terror.

The way she stumbled as she ran away from him trying to escape the barn. He caught her with little effort, grabbed her by the arm and threw her to the ground like a raggedy old doll. She fought back. So hard. All he did was laugh at her meager attempt as he pinned her arms without an issue.

Then he ripped her clothes off as if he were going to violate her.

Gross!

He’d never tarnish himself by touching her body. Disgusting.

Letting her think that’s what he was about to do had been so much fun though. Her worst fear to come true.

After she begged for her life, he stopped. The hope that sprang to life in her eyes made him laugh even harder.

Then the way she screamed when he removed the knife from his waistband behind his back and pointed it at her, twisting it this way and that. The moment her eyes grew wide with fear. Begging him again not to hurt her.

But she deserved to be punished.

Without a second thought, he pierced her skin with brutal force. Over and over, the knife went in and out. In her chest, in her stomach, even a few tasted her beautiful face.

Her screams were like music to his ears. But her eyes. The terror he saw. So euphoric.

He stuffed that mental picture into his pocket as he walked away. Time to get ready for work. He had a big day ahead of him.

* * *

Jake woke up, showered, dressed in his uniform, grabbed his police-issued firearm from his safe, and headed for the kitchen to eat. Like he did every single morning. In the same order. Because keeping a routine kept him sane. Kept the nightmares at bay. Though, he had to admit, a change of scenery had also helped to make the gruesome images dissipate somewhat. It didn’t mean they were gone.

They would never truly be gone. It was something he had to learn to live with. Every day he got better at it.

Some days when he looked in the mirror, he saw nothing but a colossal failure. Other days, he saw strength and determination. He’d clawed his way out of the depression, and he would remain out of that hole. No matter how hard things got.

He was ready to leave for the day when his phone pinged. Unclipping it from his belt, his lips curled into a smile.

Jo: Did you know that animals can be allergic to humans?

Jake: This fact intrigues me.

Jo: Human dander. Who knew?

Jake: Now we both know.

Jo: So does Jason. He’s talking about getting a cat. Should we get a cat?

He chuckled. He’d never been an animal owner of any kind, but if he had to choose, he’d pick a dog over a cat. But they lived in New York City. It might be easier owning a cat.

Jake: I think if you’re researching information about a cat, you’re getting a cat.

The three blinking dots stared at him for the longest time. He even glanced at the watch on his wrist to see how much time he had before he needed to leave.

Jo: I hate it when you’re right. We’re probably getting a cat. Have a good day!

Jake: You too!

Jake knew that Jason would call him later in the day talking about said cat as well. While Jo was his friend first, especially since he’d been best friends with her brother, Jason had also become very close with him. He hoped the two never broke up. They were good for each other.

A minute later, he was out the door and heading toward Dawson Street.

 Every day, no matter what, he walked down Dawson Street, saying hi to the early birds who were opening the shops, and grabbed his morning coffee. He always made extra time for it. While his conversation with Jo could’ve delayed this, he would always pick Jo over anything else. She was a part of his life—gruesome dark parts and all—and he felt blessed every day he had someone like her that cared about him. Because without her—and his brother—he would’ve never survived the horror he experienced months ago.

As he walked toward the coffee shop, he felt rejuvenated. The fresh air, the peace. He hadn’t felt that in a long time.

Most people in town knew him. Stopping to chat with the townsfolk, he made it impossible for them not to know him. It was a fresh approach. Different, but rewarding.

Small-town life though. He needed to feel more centered and carefree rather than the death and destruction he’d lived with in the city.

And change was good.

Necessary even.

Jake turned the corner near Trident Café.

He jumped and cringed as he collided with a woman and a warm liquid coated the front of his shirt.

Not a good start to his day. Though he kept the explicits in that he wanted to let loose. He hadn’t been watching where he was going, so he couldn’t blame her for everything.

His eyes trailed up until he caught her gaze. For the first time in his life, he was speechless.

Simply bewitching.

It’s as if he’d been struck down in the middle of the street and heaven’s gates had opened for him, a vision of beauty waiting to greet him.

Graced with long, curly brown hair and deep-green eyes that swallowed him whole, he lost his breath. Her expressive eyes drew him in, placing a spell on him. She had large, perky breasts with a green blouse that fit all her curves in the perfect way and matched her lovely eyes. The shirt gave a hint of cleavage to taunt a man. Even with coffee splashed all over her, she was exquisite.

He might’ve made a quick glance up and down her body, but her eyes held him mesmerized the most. There was something deep in the depths he couldn’t quite put his finger on, but the emotions he saw kept him as still as a statue.

Shit!

His staring was making him look like a creep or a jerk about to lose his shit. He’d seen that too many times in the city. He was not that kind of guy.

“I am so sorry. I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

Nothing but a blank stare responded.

Okay.

He reached for her, but she pulled away at the last second before he made contact. He didn’t take offense to the reaction. She didn’t know him and he should’ve known better than to touch someone he ran into.

Her cheeks bloomed a deep red as she gazed down at her shirt, inhaling a sharp breath. Her fingers patted the dark spots of coffee on the front of her shirt, then attempted to brush the wetness off her arm.

Then she snatched a piece of hair blocking one of her eyes and twirled it with a shaky finger before swiping it behind her ear. And she had a lot of hair. Wild and curly and full of life.

“All my fault. I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

The redness on her cheeks expanded down her neck.

“Did you get burned?”

She made another cursory glance over herself. “I’m fine.”

Jake frowned when she shook her arm as if trying to make the pain go away. The blouse she wore covered her arms, but the material looked silky. Which meant thin. Which meant the hot liquid could’ve burned through the flimsy material to her skin. “Are you sure you’re not burned anywhere?”

He reached for her again, but she flinched and took a step back. Right. No touching. How had he forgotten? Except all he wanted to do was look at her arm. Make sure he didn’t need to get her medical attention. They had a first-aid kit at the precinct. Or they could walk down to the fire department where they had a whole slew of things that could make her feel better.

Her eyes darted to his shirt. “Your shirt…it’s ruined. I’m so sorry.”

The terror on her face as she rummaged through her purse had him wanting to reach out again, but he didn’t want to keep seeing her step away. She was skittish.

“We kind of match.” He laughed, hoping to ease the tension.

She stopped digging in her purse. A look of horror filled her eyes, then mangled laughter escaped. The melodic tune went from anguish to happy as if she couldn’t decide how she felt.

The sound made his heart thump a little faster. Something so uncommon, especially in the last few months. He wanted to make her laugh again.

Jamming her hand back into her purse, she resumed digging again. Two seconds later, she thrust out a few tissues. “Here.”

Jake grabbed them, smiling. He didn’t care about his shirt. Not at the moment anyway. “Thanks. Though, you could use it more than me.”

She’d taken the brunt of the mishap.

He pointed to the wet coffee dripping off her sleeve and hand to the sidewalk.

Her eyes rounded in panic again. She didn’t take the offered tissues back. Instead, she grabbed a few more from her purse and wiped her arm dry.

He hoped she wasn’t hurt beneath the silky material.

“Let’s start over. I’m Jake Anders. It’s nice to meet you. I’m sorry I ruined your shirt.” He decided to keep his hand to his side and not ask for a handshake. Touching was a no-go with her so far.

A shy grin emerged, the sight making butterflies attack his stomach. Another odd occurrence for him. Usually, women didn’t make his stomach flutter.

“I’m Maddie. And I’m the one who’s sorry. This is all my fault.”

He wasn’t going to argue with her about who created the mess. The bottom line was, it happened and he didn’t regret a moment of it. It wasn’t very often—never—that he ran into—literally—a beautiful woman in town. One he wanted to know more.

“How about I get you a new coffee?”

“Oh. I…ah…umm…”

Or not.

Either he was rusty from the lack of dating in a long time, or this woman did not want anything to do with him.

Dating was the last thing he needed and with a woman who had keep-away vibes.

A buzz against his hip and a ring pierced the awkward silence.

“Sorry. Let me get this quick.” He grabbed his phone, internally groaning. What bad timing. “Hey, Chief. What’s up?”

“Where are you?”

“On my way to get a coffee. I’ll be at the precinct soon.”

Which the chief knew. This was his routine. He’d never had a problem with it before.

Jake watched as Maddie flicked another strand of hair behind her ear, but not before twirling it a bit. She had a look of indecision on her gorgeous face.

Please don’t go.

Despite his mind shouting he should walk away, his heart hammered another tune. He wanted to get her number. He had to see her again. When they both weren’t covered in coffee. If he was going to move on with his life, that included dating. Putting himself out there. Maybe it would help him forget the horrors of his past.

“Forget the coffee.”

Jake jerked at the attitude. The chief never hollered. Considering how small the town was, with hardly any serious crimes, there wasn’t much to holler about. In the past two months since he moved to Neptune, the most dangerous thing he’d handled was a theft at the drug store. An amateur that got caught two hours later. He liked the change of pace. Theft was easy to handle. Violent crimes were another whole matter, one he didn’t want to deal with ever again.

“I need you down at the McGrady’s farm.”

Jake winced. “Some cows get loose? Because someone from there called about that last week. They were informed that’s not a police problem.”

Not his anyway. He didn’t do cows. Any other cop was more than welcome to take care of it. Officer Merrick even joked with him if he didn’t want to handle it to call the county. Fortune County Sheriff’s Department would handle it. The only advice he’d given was to make sure Bolt responded, not Pepper. She wasn’t the friendliest deputy. He ignored the advice, figuring that would get him on the sheriff’s department shit-list, and he didn’t want that.

“No.” Chief Maldune paused, then let out a deep sigh. “A dead body. You have the most experience. The last time we had a murder… well, it’s been a while. I’m not calling the county. It’s our jurisdiction and we can handle it. You can handle it. It’s all yours.”

He gripped the phone harder.

No.

Not again.

Not here. Not now. Not in the small town that didn’t have violent crime. In the town he’d escaped to so he could avoid death and destruction.

Jake rubbed a hand over his face and groaned. This wasn’t happening. It couldn’t be.

But he wasn’t one to walk away from his duties. At least, not yet. He hadn’t hit his breaking point here—only in the city. He’d worked too damn hard, crawling his way out of the grief to drop right back into it.

“I’m on my way.”

“Good. Keep me posted.”

Jake ended the call. “Sorry about that. Maybe I can—”

“Are you a cop?” She shook her head, laughing. “Of course you are. You are wearing a uniform. That was a stupid question. Forget I asked that.”

Shit. Was that bad? He couldn’t quite decipher her expression. He dated a few women who couldn’t handle the fact he was a cop. Sure, in the beginning, it seemed fine. Toward the end, they walked out without a word good-bye. Not everyone could handle the life.

 “Um…I have to go to the library. Sorry about the shirt.” She scooted past him and hurried off.

He watched as she scurried away. The feeling of emptiness that had lived inside him for so long felt even emptier as she faded into the distance. And he never got her number. That gutted him. Even from behind as she ran toward her car, she looked adorable.

But it wouldn’t have worked anyway, not with her reaction that he was a cop. His job had sealed his fate.

No date.

(Copyright © 2026 Amanda Siegrist)

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