Murderous Minds Prologue

PROLOGUE

Katie held on to the side of the pontoon boat and looked into the dark water of Silver Lake. “Should we be swimming here?” she asked. “It’s really deep, and it’s not a designated area. I don’t know about this, Douglas.”

They had already passed several places to swim that were overrun with families and children splashing in the water with oversized floaties, but out where they ended up, they were all alone.

Douglas, who had suggested going in when she revealed her bikini, gave her a sideward look. “You’re no fun. Of course, it’s deep. You know how to tread water, don’t you?”

He made it sound like no big deal, as if she were the only one holding back, which was how she usually felt.

“Yeah, but I don’t swim in water like this.” She had gone swimming in the lake a few times but only where everyone else was. “I think they don’t want people swimming here anyway. That’s why they have designated places with signs and stuff.”

“Well, you’ve never lived until you break a few rules,” he said, giving her a big grin. “What’s this weekend about?”

Katie sighed as she rolled her eyes. “I know. You want me to experience things I’ve never experienced before. But this? It’s something I’d rather pass on. I mean, I’ll go in where it’s designated. God only knows what’s down there.”

“Same thing that’s in the designated areas. Frightened fish and lake water.” Douglas shook his head. “Just humor me. I’ll be right with you. You’ll see. You’ll be fine.”

Katie looked around at the deep, still water. They were at least forty feet from the shore, and she didn’t feel confident that if anything happened, she’d be able to swim that far.

“Just play with me a bit,” he said. “I think it would be fun. Don’t you trust me?”

“I do, but I’m not getting in that water,” she said, shaking her head as she put her foot down. Douglas had come into her life and made a lot of changes, but he hadn’t managed to make her lose her mind or her common sense. “Let’s just take a nice boat ride.”

“Fine, you don’t want to have any fun. I’m going in without you.” He stood up and shrugged out of his life vest. Then he kicked off his flip-flops and placed his hat with them.

Before Katie could tell him not to, he was already standing in the boat he had rented for the day, ready to jump.

“Don’t,” she said, knowing she’d be hard-pressed to help him if he got in trouble.

“Relax. Nothing is going to happen.” Douglas jumped into the water, and when he came up, he was doing a backstroke, smiling up at her. “See! The water is amazing.”

He laughed happily, and it tickled her ears. It made her want to be happy, too. He had a way of drawing her in. No one else in her life had ever been able to do that. Not even her ex-husband.

“Come on,” he said. “Do it for me. You know I won’t let anything happen. I love you.”

She wasn’t going to fall for it that easily. “You’re just saying that because you want me to come in.”

“Fine,” he said. “Don’t come in. Don’t trust me. I’m not trying to convince you. I just think you’re missing out. You do that too much.”

He swam away from the boat. The look on his face was so peaceful and relaxed that she wished she could join him. But she didn’t like the deep water. She had never been much of a swimmer and didn’t even want to get too close to the edge of the boat in case she fell in.

Fear held her back from so many things in her life and she hated that about herself. Because of it, she held so much guilt inside she was afraid it would pull her under. It would be nice to swim as confidently as he did. So free.

“One last chance,” he said.

“It does look nice.” And he looked nice, too. He was nothing like her ex, who had broken every ounce of her confidence. He was the one who had never had any understanding for her, not Douglas.

“People swim in this water all the time, honey. You’ll love it. You should know by now you can trust me.”

“Fine,” she said. “I’ll come in. But just for a minute, and no horsing around. I’m not comfortable.”

“You’ll be fine,” he said. “I’ll stay close. I’ll hold on to you.”

Katie took a deep breath and got up. She walked to the edge of the boat and felt it tilt a bit under her feet. “Oh no,” she said, trying to keep her balance.

“Don’t hesitate!” he said. “Fortune favors the bold!”

Katie jumped into the water and quickly paddled her feet and hands until she came back to the surface. “I’m not sure I can stay up,” she said, struggling to tread water. “Douglas!” Her arms were already beginning to tire.

“Just keep paddling. You’re fine. I’ll hold you.” He reached for her and pulled her closer. “There. That’s better. Isn’t this water amazing?”

“It’s scary. I want to go back into the boat.”

“Just stay with me a minute.”

“I’m scared.”

“I’ve got you. You trust me, don’t you?”

“Of course. I just don’t want something to happen.”

“What could happen?”

“I don’t know.” She hadn’t realized how much work it would be to keep her head above water. It was as if she was using every muscle in her body to stay afloat. “I’m getting tired.”

“Just relax,” he said. “Don’t fight it and you’ll enjoy it. Each moment of our lives is to be savored, Katie. You never know when it will be your last. Do you want to go out in fear? Or smiling?”

Something about the way he looked at her, the pitch in his voice, made her feel uneasy. It was like those words brought reality to her instead of making her feel at ease. “I want to go back.” She pulled away from him and was determined to get to the ladder on the boat that was just a couple of feet away.

“Hold up,” he said. “Don’t give up so fast.”

“I said I want to go back to the boat. I’m done. I’m getting tired. And this is freaking me out.” She had always listened to her instincts, and something was seriously wrong. She didn’t know what or why, but it had hit her like a heavy weight, and she didn’t want it to pull her under.

“You’re overreacting,” he said, following her to the boat.

“I’m just tired already,” she said.

“You’re not angry, are you?” He looked so upset, as if no one had never been angry with him before. “We’ll go look for rocks again if you want.”

“I don’t want to look for rocks again.” He had already found a nice one to take home. And she hadn’t had nearly as much fun doing that as he had. “You’re just pushing a little too hard. Just give me space to be me, okay?”

“I’m only pushing you because I want you to come out of your shell, Katie. You’re the one who asked me to help you be open and free in life. And this is the way.”

She reached the ladder and gripped it tight as she pulled herself up. Feeling the solid step under her feet made her feel safer. Once she was in the boat, she realized her whole body felt heavy, as if she couldn’t jump up and down if her life depended on it.

“Are you coming back in the boat now?” she asked, hoping this little detour of their day was over. She didn’t even have a towel to dry off but knew the sun and wind would give her kindness.

“Yeah, I’m coming,” he said, sounding disappointed. She hoped it wouldn’t indicate his mood for the day. He could be quite moody when he didn’t get his way.

She sat down in her place in the center front of the boat and waited for him, knowing he was upset with her. She wasn’t sure how the rest of the day would go, but she was sure that they would have to talk about it later. He always liked to talk about things, including her feelings, and sometimes he asked so many questions about her emotions it made her feel like a science experiment, or perhaps just a case study.

“Let’s get some food,” she suggested, hoping to change the subject.

“Yeah, sure,” he said, not looking at her. He didn’t sound as interested as she thought he would be. Neither of them had eaten anything since the day before.

“Aren’t you hungry?” she asked. “We skipped breakfast. I’m starving.”

“Yeah, I said it’s fine. We’ll get something. Just give me a second.” He smiled at her and picked up his shoes. “Here, will you get these wet to cool them off? They’re hot from the sun.”

“Sure,” she said, reaching for them. “But if I go over, you come in after me. The last thing I want is to go back into that water.”

“Sure,” he said. “I’ll come after you.”

She reached down and dipped the shoes in the water, hoping they’d cool off. The sooner they left the area, the better she would feel. Of all the places on the lake, he had chosen the most secluded and not for the reasons she had first suspected.

Katie turned to hand the shoes back to him and looked up just in time to see Douglas swing the heavy rock at her face. As her heart nearly shot out of her chest with fear, he made contact, sending a sharp pain to her forehead.

It knocked her for a loop, and she fell to the edge of the boat, the world fading in and out.

“Dammit,” he said, grabbing her by the back of the shirt. “I wanted one good blow. Hold still. Let’s do this right this time.”

“No,” she managed to squeak out as he raised the large rock that she had picked out for him from the shore, but she was unable to get away. Everything happened in a matter of seconds as if it had been planned all along.

As the rock came down hard and fast, it struck her again. This time, there was a lot more blood.

“Shit!” He pushed her into the water, and Katie had no choice as it swallowed her up.

This is it, she thought. The water will take me just like I was afraid of.

To her surprise, her body floated and she bobbed back up to the surface, sputtering and dragging in greedy breaths. The world still flashed in her vision, dimming and brightening as her brain fought to stay conscious. 

She rolled over onto her back, looking up at the bluest sky she had ever seen. Had it always been so pretty? A puffy white cloud hung over her and she wished she could join it. Anything to take her away from this pain.

But he didn’t let her go easily. “Katie, I never knew you were so hard-headed. I would have gotten a bigger rock.”

The next thing she knew, he came into the water and gathered her close to his front. Her instinct was to kick and scream, but her limbs wouldn’t respond. Helpless, all she could do was fight for her next breath.

She wasn’t sure she was breathing at all. Was she drowning? The water splashed up over her mouth and nose several times as the blood continued to flow from her head.

“I told you the water was nice, didn’t I? I’ve been right all along. You’re a mess. It’s better this way. I wanted to make it quick, I promise. But you are never easy, are you?”

She wanted to ask him why. What had she done to deserve this? Had she been so terrible to him that she’d earned a death sentence? It never occurred to her that some people were just born rotten.

“Close your eyes, my love,” he said, forcing her mouth and nose under the water. “It’s almost over.”

He was in control, and this had been his plan all along, she realized through the black fog in her brain. The whole day out was designed for this moment, and the life insurance policy she had signed would make sure that he was set for the rest of his life.

“Help!” he called out. “Somebody help us!”

But she knew it wasn’t for her. There was no help for her.

As her body went cold, she began to shiver. It reminded her of the day her daughter was born. Knowing the end was coming, she thought of her daughter’s little face. So cheerful and happy. She had always been her pride and joy, no matter what had happened. The smile was one thing she would take with her.

The one thing Douglas couldn’t take from her as her spirit floated up into the clouds.