Chapter 15

Hours later Linda was as stumped as ever. Larry Connors had been cooperative but insisted he could shed no light on who would want to harm his wife and certainly no idea as to why they would torture and mutilate her body. Doc Slayton had performed an immediate autopsy and concluded that Helen Connors and Susan Landry had indeed been murdered by the same person. Time of death ruled out Larry Connors who had been at work while his wife was tortured and murdered. This left Linda and her staff seemingly at a dead end. Nikki interviewed several of the neighbors but it seemed that Helen Connors was somewhat of a recluse, straying from home only long enough to do necessary shopping. She doted on her son (did she ever) and was a mousey doormat to her husband who everyone agreed was unfaithful but hardly the violent type. There just didnʼt seem to be anyone who knew her well, certainly not well enough to kill her.

“There has to be a connection between these two women,” insisted Linda.

“I agree,” replied Sheila,

“but so far I canʼt find one. Besides living in different towns, there is nothing to indicate they knew each other, Landry was Baptist and Connors a lapsed Catholic. They obviously didnʼt shop at the same stores. Connors was a stay-at-home and didnʼt belong to any kinds of clubs or groups so no connection there.”

“What about Landryʼs boyfriend and Connorsʼ husband?” asked Nikki.

“Nothing I have been able to find so far.”


“There just has to be something...” mused Linda.

“David, you know what happened the last time!”

The teens were parked on an abandoned mine road. The stars twinkled overhead.

“Hey, that was just bad luck that ranger came along when he did. But we both got what we wanted, didnʼt we?”

“Well you certainly got what you wanted.”


“Oh, and I suppose you didnʼt enjoy it at all.” Ginny giggled.


“I didnʼt say that. It was just that I was scared to death someone would see us and then...”


“Well, thereʼs no one here now.”


“What about that car that was behind us coming up the mountain?”

“It turned off back at the fork. Now relax and get naked.”


“David, are you sure Iʼm your girl now ... for ever and ever?”


“Of course, baby. Would I lie to you?”
 His mind wandered momentarily to Lacey, the redhead he had been with last night at this very spot. Ginny would have to go some to beat Laceyʼs performance. Maybe, he thought, it was true what they said about redheads being wildcats once their clothes came off.

“Well, then I guess itʼs okay,” said his lovely teen companion.

“I mean, if you really love me and all.”

“Sure I do, Ginny. Would I bring just any girl all the way out here so we could be alone?”

“I ... I guess not.”


“Okay then. Come on, let me see you naked.”


“Oh, David. Are you sure?”

“Sure Iʼm sure. Last time I barely got to see that killer body of yours. But now that weʼre totally alone...”